


Reunion

by the_writer1988



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: And Pepper loves Tony too, Civil War Fix-It, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Love, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Romance, Sex, Spider-Man: Homecoming Spoilers, Spoilers, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony loves Pepper very much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2018-12-03 21:39:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 35,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11540934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_writer1988/pseuds/the_writer1988
Summary: In Civil War, Tony and Pepper are on a break… yet the events of Siberia may just bring them back together and towards a future Tony had wanted for them ever since 2008.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Civil War left a lot of questions as to the status of Tony and Pepper's relationship. They were on a break doesn't mean the end of their relationship. It's clear to me they must have split up just before Tony went to MIT for his presentation to the students, which was a month before Lagos happened. It seems they probably reunited very quickly after the conclusion of Civil War, probably within a hours/days. 
> 
> This story will show their reunion and then proceed up until the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming. I may, possibly, go further than that but we will see how this fic plans out.

**ONE**

He hadn’t been expecting to see her. He had thought they were over, finished. He’d been expecting her to resign as CEO of Stark Industries within days of her telling him that she needed a break; that they couldn’t continue along the path they were on due to his destructive behaviour. When the Accords had come along quite suddenly he had hoped she might have reconnected with him but he’d had no word. 

Until now. 

He stood in the lounge of the apartment, surprised when he had exited the shower, for FRIDAY to tell him he had a visitor. Tony had been expecting someone different, perhaps Happy, but not Pepper. 

She sat on the sofa, looking apprehensive but still as beautiful as ever. She was still in her work clothes, the usual immaculate top and skirt hugged her figure, and her hair was tied behind her back, but it was her face that told him all. She looked glad to see him, despite the apprehensiveness in her gaze. 

“Pepper… What….” He didn’t know what to say. This was a surprise. They’d only been separated for just over a month and a lot had happened in that time. He had kept his distance, not contacting her, as the thought of her ignoring him would have hurt him too much. Finally he swallowed. “What are you doing here?” 

She hesitated, unsure of what to say.

He didn’t push her, just waited until she could form an articulate answer. 

“I saw what happened at Leipzig… What happened to Rhodey… And then… FRIDAY told me she had lost contact with you in Siberia.” 

Oh, Tony hadn’t realised his A.I had notified Pepper. But of course, he hadn’t changed her protocols since Pepper had left. If something was to ever happen to the suit, if it was to ever go offline and there was no way for Tony to return home, FRIDAY’s protocols stated for her to contact two people: Rhodey and Pepper. Rhodey was still recovering from a batch of surgery he’d had to have due to his spinal injury and wouldn’t have been able to act on the information that quickly, whereas Pepper would have been able to initialise a rescue team. 

The team that had come to rescue him from Siberia hadn’t said who had sent them; Tony had just assumed FRIDAY had raised the alarm but now it made sense why they came so quickly. FRIDAY had gone straight to Pepper and hadn’t had to go through the proper channels to bring him aid.  
Pepper had saved him, brought him home. 

“I sent the medical team out to you…When they returned and informed me of your condition I knew I had to come and see you. These last few months have been hard for the both of us.” Pepper fiddled with her hands. She really did look nervous. 

“You didn’t have to…” replied Tony. “I’m fine.” Though he wasn’t fine, and he suspected Pepper wouldn’t be fooled by his assertion that he was. 

She wasn’t. “You’re not fine, Tony.” She motioned for him to sit down. 

Tony did, well aware that Pepper was telling him what to do in his own apartment, but right now, he didn’t really care. She was here. 

She didn’t reach for his hands but she moved closer to him as he sat down, leaning back against the couch. 

“Tony… I know you supported the Accords and Steve didn’t…” 

He closed his eyes, swallowed, and then opened them again, looking deep into her eyes. She was one of the only few people he could tell this to. Trust didn’t come easy to him but he knew he could always rely on Pepper. She was his rock, his whole world. He loved her so much that the last few months had been the hardest time of his life, outside of Afghanistan of course. 

“It was a mess, Pep. Before we decided to take a break, we both knew that the Accords were coming. They had been in the works since Sokovia… but they came to the forefront because of the teams actions in Lagos. They were pushed forward and… everything went to hell. I thought the team would realise that it was in our best interests to sign it. We cannot keep going on and ignoring the consequences of our actions. I supported them because I knew I had to take accountability. Ultron was my fault… I messed up… For me the Accords represented the chance for me to change… I know you had your reasons for leaving, but I hoped the Accords could be a midway point we could meet…” He didn’t give her the chance to answer and instead changed the subject very quickly back to the events of Siberia. “After Rogers and Barnes escaped, I went to the Raft. Sam told me where they were heading… So I followed them. I had information that would free Barnes from the newest crimes levelled against him. When I got there…” He almost broke down. 

“Tony?” Pepper urged him quietly. 

“Zemo was waiting for us… Somehow he knew we would both be there. He wanted us to tear each other apart. He played a video…” Tony shuddered. He still hated thinking about it. He was slowly coming to terms with it but it would take him along time to forgive and forget the images he had seen in the video. “It showed Barnes in 1991. He killed my parents. It wasn’t a car accident… It was murder, orchestrated by Hydra.” 

“Tony…” Pepper shifted forward and immediately pulled Tony into a hug. 

He held her tight, his head resting against her shoulder as he kept his eyes shut. He murmured into her clothes. “I… I lost it. Rogers knew… He knew they’d been murdered and he kept it to himself.” 

Pepper didn’t respond, merely hugged him harder. 

His shoulder shook. “I tried to kill Barnes. I wasn’t thinking… the shock that Rogers knew…” 

“Tony, you acted exactly the way any person would have done in that situation,” said Pepper, stroking his hair. “If Steve expected you to forgive and forget then he is an idiot. The Winter Soldier killed your parents. You saw him doing it. You didn’t see him as Bucky Barnes, and you cannot blame yourself for trying to hurt him.” Pepper gently lifted Tony’s face up so his brown eyes were looking into her own. “Do you believe you would have killed him?”

Tony took a few seconds to answer. “I don’t know. I was angry…. I just wanted to hurt him. Rogers made me angrier by trying to protect Barnes… I like to think I would have stopped once I had hit him enough times…” But he had been in the suit. “But… I can’t be sure. And now things are a huge mess… The Avengers are split; the Accords are not what they could have been and… I’ve lost you.” 

“You haven’t lost me,” replied Pepper. “I’m here now.” 

“You’re not coming back to me… Not the way we once were,” admitted Tony. He turned away from her, not wanting to see the rejection in her eyes. 

But she did something that he had not expected. 

She made him look at her and then she moved forward…

…And kissed him deeply on the lips. 

**To be continued**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Pepper talk.

**Chapter Two**

So surprised by the kiss was Tony, that he pulled away quicker than he had ever done before. “Pep…” he trailed off, searching her gaze, concern growing in the pit of his belly that he should not have pulled away from their kiss so quickly. 

“I’m sorry,” she said slowly, “I shouldn’t have done that.” 

“Then why did you?” he asked. He could still feel the tingle of his lips from having contact with Pepper’s. “Was it because you feel sorry for me? Or that you are hoping I will realise you will be there for me even though we’ve split up? Or –” He was stopped abruptly by Pepper interrupting him mid-flow.

“We haven’t split up!” 

Tony stared at her. “We haven’t spoken in two months! You said you needed a break from us! If there was any hope of us ever getting back together, you wouldn’t have been away for so long without any form of contact! Suddenly Rhodey’s hurt and I’m hurt, and you’re back! You may still care about me, Pepper, but you can’t love me!” He knew his words would hurt her but his emotions were flaring up and he couldn’t stop them from pouring out. It just didn’t make sense!

He expected her to shout and scream at him but she didn’t, just sat there, contemplating his words. 

“Tony…” she started, “I have loved you for a very long time. I still do. Nothing will ever change that. I do want to be with you, but for us to work both of us have to make concessions.”

“I’m not giving up being Iron Man!” snapped Tony. This was one of the main reasons why Pepper had left him in the first place. She had asked him to give it up… And he had when he had destroyed all his suits for her after their encounter with Aldrich Killian but circumstances meant he had to have a suit (which he had built after discussing it with her), and then after Sokovia, Tony hadn’t stopped. He’d kept on building. Pepper had called time on their relationship as he’d been paying more attention to his suits than to her. 

“I’m not asking you to give it up… I know I did before but I shouldn’t have asked that of you,” explained Pepper quietly. “All I’m asking is for you to take notice of me.” 

Tony’s eyes narrowed. He had taken notice of Pepper, hadn’t he? He had given her everything she had ever wanted… But then he thought back to the argument that had split them apart. In the last few weeks before she had walked out, Tony had spent the majority of his time in his lab, missing dinner and dates all to work on his suits. No matter what Pepper had said, he couldn’t walk away from them. He needed them to be ready to protect the one thing he couldn’t live without. 

Pepper was his whole world. He didn’t know what he would do without her. 

His anger disappeared as his mind roared through the last few weeks of their relationship. The events of Sokovia had scarred him deeply and he had been trying to work through the terror and horror of his mind by building suits. He only felt safe with them, knowing they were out there at his beck and call. 

But that wasn’t all. 

Pepper had asked him to see someone about his issues. He had refused. He didn’t want some guy looking into his head and pulling him apart. 

“What do you want, Pepper?” he asked quietly. 

“I want the Tony I fell in love with back,” she replied. “I know that is not impossible. Things changed because of New York… I know you feel you have to protect me and the world from whatever is out there… I can understand that you want to do that… But you were putting that before our relationship. After Killian things settled down between us and then you were recalled to the Avengers. I didn’t have a problem with you going because I knew they needed you… But after Sokovia, you changed… And I know it was because of guilt. You wouldn’t let me in to help you. You pushed me away… I couldn’t deal with the rejection any more. I shouldn’t have walked away. And I’m sorry I left you when you needed me by your side.” 

Tony’s anger disappeared. “I’m sorry for pushing you away too…” 

“Tony… I want to stay and help you… but only if you let me.” 

He knew he needed help. He couldn’t go on like this. His mental health was at a point where he knew if he didn’t do anything about it he would utterly lose it. And he nearly had in Siberia. 

But he also wanted Pepper. She was the one piece that was holding him together. The fact that there had been a slim chance of reconciliation was the only thing that had been keeping him going. 

The first step was recognising he had a problem, and he had achieved that. The second was doing something about it. “Would it help if I saw someone about my issues?” 

Pepper shook her head. “I don’t think that would work for you. You barely trust anyone. Most people do not see the real you… All they see is the façade you throw up to protect yourself. I’m lucky that you trust me enough to let me see the real Tony Stark.” 

He had tried talking to Banner once though that hadn’t really worked. Bruce had fallen asleep and hadn’t really offered Tony any advice in relation to the problems he had told him about. 

“Then what can I do?” he asked. 

Pepper hesitated, biting her lower lip, looking worried about what she was going to suggest. “I know it is not the type of thing you would do but a spiritual journey might benefit you more than talking to someone ever could.” 

Tony stared at her surprised by the suggestion. He felt like laughing but didn’t, aware that this was a serious suggestion that Pepper was proposing. 

She hastily continued. “You won’t talk to people about it but maybe you can help your mind by taking yourself away from what stresses you out. I think it would help you… and I’d like you to try it.” 

Tony swallowed. The ball was in his court now. He could refuse but that wouldn’t help matters. He’d already admitted to himself that he needed help. “Ok.” 

Pepper blinked. She did seem surprised. 

Tony smirked. “I continue to astound you, don’t I?” 

“You’ve always surprised me.” Pepper smiled sadly at him. “These last two months have been difficult without you but you have always been on my thoughts. And I’ve seen what you tried to do, how you’ve tried to change…” She leaned in closer to him. “I think we can make this work. We still need to talk about other things but not now…” She leaned forward. I’ve missed you.” She kissed him again. 

This time Tony didn’t pull away, instead moving to embrace her, moving his arms to wrap around her, pulling her closer. He murmured against her lips. “I’ve missed you too.” 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea of Tony going on a spiritual journey, I believe, comes from Spiderman: Homecoming novel. I am assuming that is true and if it is, its probably a compromise Tony made to get help. He certainly seems a lot more stable mentally in Homecoming then he ever did in Civil War. 
> 
> Tony and Pepper still have a lot of things to discuss but I thought this was an appropriate place to end this chapter...


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Pepper discuss their relationship.

_**Chapter Three** _

She stayed the night, cuddling up against one another, just not engaging in any other physical activity. Their reconciliation was too new for them to do anything more than kiss and cuddle. Tony hadn’t wanted to ruin things by jumping right back into their relationship. 

And Pepper wouldn’t have appreciated it either. 

Tony woke first in the morning and carefully untangled himself from Pepper, leaving her to have a lay-in. He crept quietly around the bedroom, getting his clothes and dressing, before heading to the kitchen where he began to attempt to cook breakfast for Pepper. 

She emerged twenty minutes later just as he was putting the finishing touches to the spinach, ham and cheese omelette he had attempted to make. It wasn’t perfect but it was the thought that counted. 

“This is new,” she said, looking at the omelette on her plate. Tony had rarely cooked for her, especially since he really didn’t know how to cook. 

Tony shrugged. “I’ve sort of been trying to teach myself to cook.” It was something he had been trying to do just prior to the events in Romania, Germany and Siberia. It was just one of many changes he was trying to do with his life. “Amongst other things.” 

Pepper took a first bite and was pleasantly surprised how tasty her omelette was. “This is nice.” 

Tony joined her at the table with a plate for himself. “Sleep well?” he asked. It still felt awkward talking to her. 

“A better night sleep then I’ve had in a while,” she responded. She looked up at him. “I haven’t slept well without you… And running SI has been difficult, especially during the process with the Accords since we are so linked to them through you. I’ve had a lot of press try to talk to me about how we intend on going forward. How our funding for the Avengers will now proceed if they are now under government control.” 

He hadn’t really considered how the Accords would have affected Pepper. Their split hadn’t been public knowledge. In fact the only people who had known were Happy, Rhodey and Steve. “Ah. I can help you there. I’ll come to the office next week and sit with Human Resources about it. I’ll let you know how it goes but I’ll make sure anything Avenger-related goes through me instead of you.” 

Pepper nodded. “That sounds reasonable.” 

They continued to eat their breakfast in silence. Pepper used her phone to browse her messages whilst Tony read the latest rendition of the Accords. Though the Accords had been signed and ratified, it was currently going through changes which Tony had put forward. Each section was being discussed at length, notes added to it and then sent around each ambassador and subject of the Accords. They were still a work-in-progress and Tony knew it would take months – even years – to fix the Accords to a place where it would placate everybody. 

After breakfast, Tony cleared away and then sat down facing Pepper, who now had her StarkPad out on the table, open on a word document. 

“So,” Pepper began, “ground-rules, Tony. For this to work, we have to make concessions on both sides.” 

They’d already agreed that so Tony confirmed this. “Of course.” 

“We both need to have input in this. I propose a list of rules for each other. What I’d like you to do and what you’d like me to do. Then we discuss each point and come to an agreement. Like negotiating with a company that wishes to do business with us. This way we will iron out the kinks and hopefully provide us with foundations we can build upon to return us to the point where we were before everything went south for us.” Pepper pointed at his phone. “If you write out your points on your phone and then upload them to your private server, I will do the same and then we can discuss this.” 

“Okay.” Tony wasn’t going to contest this. He thought it was a good idea. 

For the next hour they quietly sat at the table, opposite one another, working on their lists. 

\- - - - -

_**Tony Stark’s Rules For Pepper Potts**_  
1) Iron Man has to stay. The world needs Iron Man.  
2) Let me talk to you about everything over a period of reflective sessions. I’ve hidden so much from you that for me to find spiritual healing I think you need to know first.  
3) I cannot think of anything else. You are perfect in every way.  
4) But maybe you could wear a tank top more often indoors?  
5) I’m not sorry. 

\- - - - -

_**Pepper Potts Rules for Tony Stark**_  
1) You have to be the one who sometimes initiates contact between us. In the past it has been me.  
2) Date night, every Friday. Film night, Saturday.  
3) To remain involved with the Avengers and deploy when absolutely necessary. I know how much being Iron Man means to you.   
4) To be more involved in Stark Industries rather than remain focused on the Avengers and the Iron Man suits.  
5) Inventing and engineering needs to be on a timed schedule rather than whenever you can UNLESS it simply cannot wait.  
6) The omelettes were delicious. Cookery classes?

\- - - - -

They both read over each other’s lists of rules. Tony saw Pepper briefly frown and then smile. He figured she had seen number four and five. 

Pepper looked up at him. “We do need to talk about these, Tony.” 

He knew that. 

“Let’s go through your list first, since it is the shortest.” She lifted her StarkPad up and began to read aloud. “Iron Man has to stay. The world needs Iron Man. I do agree with that. The reason why I wanted you to give it up is because I worry about you. I don’t want you to die. But I can see the good it has done and since the Accords have been brought into the picture you are subjecting yourself to laws that will determine when you are needed to intervene. You’re not going to police the world, like Rogers did. As long as you don’t go looking for trouble I think I can accept you continuing to be a superhero.” 

“When have I ever gone looking for trouble?” complained Tony. 

Pepper praised an eyebrow. 

“Fair point.” 

“Number two. Reflective sessions. That we can definitely do. I know we’ve known each other for an incredibly long time but even I know you still have secrets. For us to work I think both of us need to be completely honest with one another. I am willing to listen to you as long as you can listen to me in return,” explained Pepper cordially. 

Tony nodded. “I can do that.” He was willing to try anything and he knew if he didn’t he would mess this relationship up to the point where Pepper wouldn’t want to be associated with him at all. He was lucky that during their two months break she hadn’t stepped away from the company. But, he supposed, she must have already decided that she would come back, depending on how he had conducted himself. 

“Third, I’m not perfect, fourth I can wear that tank top indoors more often if it pleases you, and I already know you are not sorry for that comment,” smirked Pepper, a twinkle shining in her eyes as she spoke. She placed the StarkPad down on the table. “I think your terms are acceptable. How do you feel about my rules for you?”

Tony ran his eyes down the list. “Point one, I know I have been a dick and left things up to you… that will change. You were my first relationship… I don’t know how these things are supposed to work. It’s a poor excuse but I certainly will ensure I initiate contact. Date night, fine. Film night, fine. Is that what normal couples do?” 

Pepper nodded. “Yes.” 

“Right.” He could sit with that. “Three we have already covered. We do not really need to discuss it again.” 

“No, we don’t,” confirmed Pepper. 

“My involvement with Stark Industries, I haven’t really been that good a head of Research and Development, have I?” 

Pepper shook her head. “You need to start paying attention to what is being developed. I know you trust me to make the correct decisions but in regards to research and development, that is your area of expertise, not mine. You’ve done so much for this world, Tony, that it seems a shame your talent isn’t used to continue to developing new tech for our people. The Avengers took up too much of your time. You were being paid as an employee for Stark Industries for not doing your job. If you prefer to work from home that is fine however you need to involve yourself with the team under your oversight. You need to communicate with them, guide them into new areas and help them develop their own ideas into sell-able and profitable equipment.” 

He could see her point. “How often would I have to come into the office?”

“At least once a week. There are weekly meetings that I attend. You need to be involved as well. That way a cohesive discussion can be made.” 

Tony nodded. “That is acceptable. Besides, with the Accords in place I am unlikely to be called out for active duty. I’ve asked to only be called as a last resort unless the situation really needs me to be there from the first point. I will have more time to be involved with Stark Industries. If I am called out I will try to give you notification in advance, especially if it is on a meeting day.” 

“You’ve really thought this through,” pointed out Pepper. 

Tony shrugged. “When you left I knew it was my fault. I drove you to do it. I knew there were changes you had been asking me to make and I hadn’t listened. I was an idiot and I nearly lost you – I thought I had. When the Accords were fast-tracked I knew I couldn’t be against them. I hoped working with them, showing willing to take responsibility would help you see that I was trying to be a better person.” 

“Tony…” Pepper reached out for his hand. “Are you supporting the Accords because you believe in them or just to please me?” 

Tony shook his head. “I support them. I read the Accords. I know exactly what they mean. There are some things that need to be amended but overall they can work for the Avengers. And they provide more safety for all the countries across the world and their citizens. If something major happens like another alien invasion –” he really did not want that to happen again, “- then the Avengers will dispatch without any direct communication from the Accords committee. It’s a shame ‘Captain America’ couldn’t see that.” He did sound bitter. He had tried to ensure the Accords would work for everybody but Steve Rogers had not wanted to listen. He had made a situation worse and ensured it was harder for Tony to negotiate changes to the Accords. But Tony’s work on the Accords was moving slowly forward despite the halt. “We need to start taking responsibilities for our actions. Ultron was my fault… I will keep spending my money on Sokovia to get it back up and running. If I hadn’t been so stupid and let my fears get…” Tony stopped. “Forget it… I can’t go into this here. Not now.” 

“Ok, but you will tell me, right?” enquired Pepper. 

“Yeah.” 

“Shall we continue?” 

Tony swallowed and then nodded. He looked down at Pepper’s rules for him, focusing on number four. “I’m not sure inventing and engineering can be on a timed schedule. If an idea comes to me I have to start work on it otherwise my brain will go crazy just thinking about it. It’s a habit of a genius.” 

“I thought you’d say that,” said Pepper. “But I can accept you working on your private projects when you want to as long as it doesn’t interfere with Stark Industries or date and film night. I know that was a lot to ask of you. I’ve known you for a long time. Shutting off your brain is nearly impossible for you.” 

That was certainly true. His brain was always working, always overreacting, always thinking ahead. 

“Thank you,” he smiled. “And, for the record, I could already be doing cookery classes.” 

“Are you?” Pepper laughed. 

“Yep. Ask Rhodey. He’s the one who has been teaching me to cook.” 

Chuckling, Pepper responded: “I knew it wouldn’t be proper cookery lessons.” 

“At least Rhodey can cook.”

“How is Rhodey?” asked Pepper.

“He’s just had surgery to his back. He’s recovering but he won’t be able to walk again unaided,” replied Tony sadly. “I’m working on solutions to help him. I’m hopeful my idea will allow him to still live a full life.” 

She squeezed his hand. “He will. I know you, Tony. You won’t stop until you’ve found the perfect invention for him.” She let go and slowly got to her feet. “I need to leave now, but I will be back later.” 

Surprise coursed through him. “You’re coming back? Tonight?” 

“Yes. We were living together before I left. I am surprised you are not living at the Avengers Facility at the moment. Rhodey is.” 

Tony shrugged. “The place is having a revamp but all of Rhodey’s medical needs are already installed there. It is better for him to stay put and they work around him. I was going to move back after the renovations were finished. Living here currently enables me to work closer with the Accords committee. Less travelling. But Stark Industries Headquarters are in Los Angeles, on the other side of the country. Will you be spending less time there?” 

Pepper frowned. “I haven’t worked that out yet. Today I am visiting a few of our smaller business associates to clarify the situation with Stark Industries and the Avengers. Hopefully they will still be willing to work with us. I will have to return to Los Angeles by the end of the week. And so will you if you intend to make business meetings.” 

“Okay. We’ll discuss this later. If we are back together I think living arrangements is something we really do need to discuss,” he said, as he stood up from the table and began to escort her towards the apartment door. 

Pepper laughed, grabbing his shirt and pulled him toward her, kissing him on the lips. “Of course we’re back together.” 

He responded back, pulling her close, wrapping his arms around her body. “Good,” he murmured into her lips. 

When she was gone, Tony moved to the window that overlooked the streets of New York city. He was quite high up but even from this height he would determine Pepper in the crowd below as she moved to the car parked at the side of the road. A smile tugged at his lips. 

For the first time since the Accords had been brought up, Tony felt truly happy. 

_**To be continued...** _


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Pepper return to some normality...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Explicit sex at the end of this chapter. You have been warned.

When Pepper returned to Tony’s apartment that evening she was surprised to be presented with a delicious smell coming from kitchen. She walked through and found Tony stirring something in a pot whilst pouring red sauce into it. 

“What are you making?” “

Tony turned to look at her whilst continuing to stir. “A very poor attempt at a stew. I think.” 

She peered into the pot and saw chicken bubbling away in the sauce alongside a few choice vegetables. “It smells lovely.” 

Tony fidgeted. “I hope it tastes as nice as it smells.” 

“I’m sure it will,” she smiled. “I’m just going to change.” 

“Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes!” said Tony as she walked through the apartment to the bedroom. 

She’d had a hard day at work, managing from afar whilst also assuring smaller businesses about Stark Industries further involvement with the Avengers. She had made it clear she would only be endorsing the Avengers that had signed the Accords and only those that abided to them. None of the current fugitives would be applicable for their funding. They would only become applicable if they signed the Accords and demonstrated they were abiding by them. As a result of her reassurances, Pepper had secured further deals with the smaller businesses, allowing both sides to grow in the process. 

She had only brought a few clothes with her, enough to last her the week before needing to return to Malibu. 

She didn’t have any elaborate clothing. Pepper had hoped to make up with Tony when she had come to see him but had not expected them to slip back into a comfortable routine. Though Tony cooking dinner was new. It was nice to think that he was making an effort and she liked that. 

After a quick shower, she chose denim shorts and a loose fitting t-shirt. Walking back out into the kitchen, she found Tony waiting by the table, two plates placed opposite one another and two candles were glowing behind him. 

He smiled warmly at her as she approached and pulled out the chair for her to sit on. She sat down watched as he returned to the kitchen, a cloth placed over his shoulder as he continued to cook. Five minutes later he returned to the table with a pot filled with stew. He placed four spoonfulls on her plate before adding the same amount to his own. 

“Wine?” he asked, indicating the bottle behind him, sitting to the right on the counter. 

“Yes please,” she said. She did like a bit of red wine with her dinner especially after a stressful days work. 

He poured half a glass of red wine for her, before he too seated opposite her. 

“What did you do today?” asked Pepper, starting off the conversation. 

“Not much, I worked on a few projects I have going, and I went over the 5th Amendments that have been made to the Accords. I’m trying to make it fairer for members of the Avengers,” he explained to her. “Tomorrow I’m heading to the compound.” 

“The Accords will not ever be perfect… but how many changes can they go through?” she questioned. 

Tony frowned as he chewed. “What happened a few days ago has certainly made things harder. The Accords were already being chopped and changed before Lagos. Before the Avengers became aware of them. I was only aware of them because of my government contacts and they wanted my input. I’ve spent months working on them to make them seem reasonable for both sides… and now Roger’s actions has made that exceptionally difficult.” 

“If he came back what would happen?” Pepper asked. 

“At the moment he would be detained on terrorism charges and attempted murder. That’s what my lawyers are pressing for even though I don’t want Rogers to be charged with my attempted murder.” 

Pepper’s eyes widened. “He nearly killed you, Tony.” 

He shrugged. “I know. But I also know we need Captain America. If he’s behind bars he’s useless.” 

Pepper lowered her spoon. “Tony. What is coming?”

Tony pushed his half-eaten stew away. He ran a weary hand down his face. 

“I deserve to know, Tony,” murmured Pepper quietly. 

“I know.” Tony lowered his head, clasping his hands together and forced himself to look up at her. His eyes looked haunted as he spoke. “They’re coming back.” 

“Who is?” She had a feeling she knew what he was referring to.

“The aliens. It is why I do what I do, Pepper. The world is unprepared for what is out there. They wanted to conquer Earth, destroy us. They’re not going to leave us alone because we beat them back.” He bit his bottom lip. “I’ve never told anyone what I saw beyond the portal…” He shifted in his seat. 

Pepper could see he was trying not to get lost in memories. 

He was silent for a few moments before he shook his head. “What I saw there has shaped my actions to this very day. They’re coming back, Pepper, no matter what I do. There was a huge army in space just waiting to come through… They were already on their way when I destroyed their control ship. But they’re not the only race out there who would want to destroy us. There are plenty of them out there. I have to protect you… And it’s not just you, it’s the whole world. I can only prepare… That’s what Ultron was for. He was supposed to police the world, drive threats away from the Earth so I wouldn’t have to do this anymore.” 

“But it went wrong,” said Pepper quietly. 

Tony nodded. “I’m sure I did all the math and calculations right. He shouldn’t have come out like that. JARVIS and FRIDAY never did. I’ve made more than two AI’s. They were fine… Yes, Ultron was supposed to be more advanced but every algorithm Bruce and I tried didn’t work. It never integrated properly… I think the sceptre played a part in creating him. It happened whilst the party was going on downstairs. I didn’t mean for anything bad to happen. If I hadn’t attended the party I could have stopped it before it went any further…”

“Or maybe the influence of the sceptre wouldn’t have activated at that time and instead had waited,” reasoned Pepper. “Tony, Ultron happened. We cannot change it. We can only help those that were hurt.”

Tony sighed. “I know. But the guilt will always be there. All those people who died in Sokovia… It will never be erased from my conscience.” 

“One day it might be,” said Pepper. “Time and healing can help.”

“Okay.” Tony smiled sadly. 

“Everything you are doing now is to protect the Earth,” said Pepper. “I’m proud of you for doing that. I hope they don’t come back in our lifetime.” 

Tony stayed silent. 

“You think they will? 

“Yes.” But Tony didn’t elaborate further though he did add. “There are some things I’m still unsure of. Thor said something a few years ago. I hope you’re right but in the meantime, all I can do is prepare the Earth as best I can.”

\- - - - -

The rest of the week flew past quickly. Both Tony and Pepper were busy. Pepper with meetings for Stark Industries and Tony at the Avengers compound. He also spent his time in Stark Tower in the heart of Manhattan where he began to remove his personal affects and forward them onto the new Avengers compound. 

Tony had informed Pepper he was selling Avengers Tower. With the new facility upstate there wasn’t really any need for him to keep it. Stark Tower hadn’t just been a penthouse for Tony and the headquarters for the Avengers, it had also been home to Stark Industries. The lower floors of the building had been used by employees of the company. Now they had all moved to the new Avengers facility which was doubling as a Stark Industries site though was primarily known as the home to the Avengers. 

Maria Hill was employed by Stark Industries but worked at the New Avengers Facility. This branch of Stark Industries was working closely with the Avengers but was still separate from the main company as it was Tony who had overall control over that part of the company rather than Pepper. He could disband it if he wanted to but he didn’t see the need to. 

As Thursday night arrived Tony knew Pepper had to return to Malibu the following day for her weekly meetings. He had already agreed to attend knowing he had to show some interest in the team that were employed solely in Research and Development. 

They took a private jet from the new Avengers Facility late on Thursday night, arriving at the landing pad of Stark Industries around eight in the morning on Friday, having spent the flight sleeping. 

Whilst Pepper went to her office, Tony visited the Research and Development floor for the first two hours before her meetings were due to start. Tony acquainted himself with the team under his supervision who were all, quite frankly, surprised he was there. He hadn’t really made that much effort before. Tony explained that he wanted to become more involved and that required liaising with them on a regular basis. 

As it neared ten am, Tony departed and met Pepper at her office before they moved to the boardroom where the heads of each department were already seated, as well as the few shareholders that held stocks in the company. Tony held the controlling stock. There was a murmur of surprise at his appearance; partly because he hadn’t attended a departmental meeting in years. 

Not since he had turned over the company over to Pepper. 

Pepper sat at the head of the table whilst Tony sat a few seats down. Each chair was reserved for each departmental head. Research and Development’s chair had always, mostly, been empty at these meetings as Tony hadn’t even bothered to send anyone else in his stead. His work on Iron Man had taken over all priority. That was now going to change. 

The item on the list for the day was Pepper explaining her meetings she had attended in the last week and how Stark Industries were moving forward with the Avengers. After everyone had been satisfied, she turned to Tony. 

“Due to the Accords, Tony is now going to be taking a more active role with Research and Development. He will remain based in New York for the foreseeable future but has promised he will remain in contact with his team and attend departmental and company meetings, unless his work with the Avengers becomes a priority. At the moment, Tony has told me that he is unlikely to be called up unless there is a genuine emergency on.” Pepper looked at Tony. “Isn’t that correct, Mr Stark?” 

Tony cleared his throat. “That is correct. I have already spoken to Laura Templar who is the Creative Research Leader of R&D. She has provided schematics of technology that is currently in use, only demonstrating ways to improve it. I have also briefed Laura on my own invention. B.A.R.F: Binarily Augmented Retro Framing. I demonstrated it at M.I.T a month ago. I hope this is technology that I can further expand to help those with mental health issues. It is in its early stages and I am trying to iron out the kinks. B.A.R.F will be my primary project. And I swear I will find a new name for it by the time it is ready to market. Laura and I will be working exclusively on the B.A.R.F technology whilst the other members of the R&D team work on improving other tech.” 

After Tony’s little speech, each department head provided updates on their own work, giving Tony a fuller picture of how his company was faring. Stark Industries was going well. It was the foremost technologically advanced company in the world. Other companies were trailing behind it. 

The meeting lasted two hours. 

Pepper returned to her office for lunch in which Tony joined her where they discussed the outcome of the meeting. Now that he had a fuller picture, Tony was very impressed with the direction Stark Industries were going. 

After lunch, Tony went back to the R&D department where he worked with Laura on the B.A.R.F technology. She did enquire why he wanted to isolate some memories and perhaps find a way with the tech to remove any conditioning placed on anyone. He didn’t explain why, only that it was something he wanted to look into. 

After Siberia, Tony had thought long and hard about the events that had happened out there. He had been denied the knowledge that he should have been allowed to have. He’d had the right to know his parents had been murdered and it hadn’t been an accident due to Howard Stark’s drinking problems. For years Tony had blamed his father for his mother’s death… But now Tony had only Hydra to blame. 

The Winter Soldier, conditioned by Hydra to eliminate targets, was the one that had murdered his parents. The Winter Soldier… Bucky Barnes… best friend of Steve Rogers. He’d been angry when he’d seen the video of the Winter Soldier callously murdering his parents. He’d wanted to make Barnes hurt. Any rational Tony had, had for the Winter Soldier was gone. Any compassion he’d once held had disappeared in that one moment. Anger had overtaken him. 

Tony had just acted human. 

Rogers’ defence of his friend hadn’t helped and Tony’s anger had just strengthened. Beating the Winter Soldier to a pulp may have helped Tony in the short term but in the long run it had only forced the Avenger’s apart even further. 

On reflection now, having had days to consider everything that had happened, Tony had forgiven Barnes. He hadn’t been at fault. His mind taken and his actions controlled… He’d been a puppet for years, unable to think clearly or stop himself from carrying out atrocious acts. 

Tony wanted to help him. 

And he wanted to use B.A.R.F to do so. 

It would take a while to perfect the technology. When it was ready, he would travel to Wakanda, in the hope King T’Challa would allow him to use it on Barnes. But B.A.R.F would not be ready for months yet. Tony still had plenty of time to work on it. He didn’t have to worry about confronting the other Avengers.

Not just yet anyway. 

\- - - - -

That evening Tony took Pepper out for dinner. They went to an Italian restaurant that had recently opened up in Malibu. Pepper wore a red strapless dress that perfectly showed off her figure. When Tony saw her he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. Her hair curled about her shoulders. 

They ate slowly, enjoying each other’s company, talking about mundane things and what the week ahead might bring them. They were at the restaurant for a few hours. Usually Tony asked for a private booth or booked out the restaurant so they had it all to themselves but tonight Pepper had wanted to be normal. 

Normal as possible. 

By the time they left, word had reached out that Stark and Potts were there and the front entrance was decked out with paparazzi. Considering it had been months since they had been seen out in public together, Tony and Pepper indulged them. They smiled for the paparazzi before Tony kissed Pepper on the mouth. He then led her back to the car which was stationed just a few metres away. Happy sat in the driver’s seat, waiting for the two to get in. Tony opened the door for Pepper and she slid inside, across the seat, and then he sat in, throwing one last wave to the Paparazzi, before Happy started to drive off. 

Since Tony didn’t have a house in Malibu anymore, Happy drove them to Pepper’s flat, which she had bought when she’d been made CEO. She’d hardly used it since her and Tony had started a relationship though she kept it as a useful staying point as it was located close to Stark Industries. She had been living there after she had walked away from Tony. 

Upon arriving at the building, Pepper and Tony used the private elevator to get to her floor. Her apartment was small but suited what it was needed for. It had the basic essentials which was all Pepper really needed. Most of her belongings still resided in Stark Tower, though had now been moved to the New Avengers Facility. 

As soon as they were through the door, Pepper turned, grabbed Tony and pushed him into the wall, kissing him hard on the lips, pressing her body against his. Surprised, it took Tony a few seconds before he wrapped his arms around her, moving his left hand down to cup her bottom and leaned into the kiss, responding to her lips. Their hard kiss turned into a passionate one as both fought for dominance. 

Pepper won. Tony was content to let Pepper do whatever she wanted. She was the one who initiated it and if she felt like having him he was more than happy to oblige.  
She pulled away from the kiss, looking up at him, desire evident in her eyes. “Tony…” 

“Do you want to?” Tony asked. 

It was a question that needed asking. They’d only been back together a week but the desire and the want was there. Tony wanted Pepper to have the choice. 

Her answer wasn’t made in words but rather her lips pressing against his again. Her hips moved against his as she ground herself against him, letting him know that she truly did want to go all the way. 

Gently he pushed away from the wall and they clumsily made their way to Pepper’s bedroom. 

\- - - - -

They fell onto the bed together but Pepper quickly rolled him onto his back, climbing onto him, rubbing herself against his growing erection, moaning at the feel of it. Still fully clothed she laid herself out on top of him, kissing him again. 

Tony’s hands moved down her body, pausing at the zip at the back of her dress. She continued to kiss him deeply as he pulled the zipper down. He pulled the dress down her back. She leaned up, scooting off of him briefly to remove the dress, then sat upon him once again, sitting up. Her eyes were full of desire and she rubbed her red satin knickers against his erection through his trousers. 

He moaned. Oh it had been a while. He didn’t want to take control. 

Pepper reached up behind her back and unclipped her bra. She threw it to the side. 

Tony’s eyes zeroed in on her white milky breasts. 

Her hands tugged at his shirt, unbuttoning it quickly, allowing him to sit up so he could remove it. He lay back down and she spread herself out on him, her breasts touching his chest. Then he rolled her over so he was on top. 

“Tony…” she murmured. “Trousers off… now.” 

The trousers were gone in seconds, leaving him in only his boxers. He pressed himself down on her, rolling his hips invitingly. 

Pepper moaned at the pressure, rolling her hips in return. 

Tony pressed a slow kiss on her lips before he peppered her face with kisses. Tony moved down, pressing kisses to Pepper’s neck, shoulders, chest before licking both of her areolas. His tongue swirled over the left one, sucking gently, taking the full breast into his mouth before releasing it with a loud pop. He repeated the action with the right breast before kissing his way down her abdomen. He pulled her red satin knickers down, tossing them to the side as his hands parted her legs. 

A finger moved to her sex, pressing at her folds, slipping between them, dragging it slowly through the wetness gathering between her legs. He slipped a finger inside her, dragging it against her walls. He added a second, repeating the same action and then again with a third. 

Pepper shuddered and moaned beneath him; his ministrations giving her immense pleasure. Pulling his fingers out of her, Tony moved up her legs, only pausing to suck her breasts. He was hard, so very hard and eager to be inside her. His cock twitched as he thought of it. Quickly he removed his boxers.

“Pepper…” he murmured against her lips, kissing her deeply, shifting his legs. It had been so long… 

Pepper moaned against his mouth. “Please Tony…” 

Desire evident in his eyes, Tony shifted up onto his elbows, his eyes focused completely on the woman beneath him. Lining himself up to her entrance he entered her in one smooth motion, filling her completely with one thrust. He trembled at the feel of her around his throbbing cock.

Pepper’s eyes widened as he thrust up into her. She lay there, trembling in anticipation of what was to come next, enjoying the sensation of him inside her. 

Tony began to move, slowly pulling himself out until just the tip remained before he thrust back in again, going deeper. Slow and sensual, Pepper knew she was in heaven, the sensations rocking through her. 

Their bodies moved in unison, joined together as the pace quickened. They moaned with each thrust. He littered her with kisses as he sought to bring them both pleasure. 

The movements became more urgent as both wanted to have more from the other. Pepper rose her pelvis up to meet his. Tony groaned as he pushed Pepper back down, pushing himself further into her. Her walls clenched him hard. 

“Tony…” Pepper moaned his name. Her eyes were fluttering in ecstasy as he thrust deep into her thrice more. Then, with one last thrust and a slight change of direction, he hit her sweet spot, sending her over the edge. “Tony…” 

The resulting vibrations of her walls clenching tightly around his cock made him lose control. He came, pouring himself inside her. “Pepper….” His eyes fluttered as the sensations overtook him. 

Sex with Pepper had always been exciting and different. He had never felt this way before. 

Gently, he lowered himself to press his lips against hers, kissing her deeply. He was still inside her. He didn’t want to leave. He loved the feel of her around him.   
Pepper stroked his cheek, looking at him in the eyes. A smile tugged at her lips. “I love you, Tony.” 

“I love you too,” said Tony. He kissed her again. Then he slowly pulled out of her, falling onto his side, pulling Pepper close to him, wrapping his arms around her body.

That night they slept contently in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't written a sex scene in years so how was it?   
> The next chapter may continue their shenanigans of the morning too but I haven't decided yet. We'll see. I didn't intend to write explicit sex but my brain told me to. So I did.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter begins with more explicit sex. This wasn't meant to happen but Pepper can be very dominant when she wants to be!!! 
> 
> Also... Tony begins to talk about things he's kept close to his chest...

Pepper woke early the next morning. Tony was still fast asleep beside her, his arms wrapped around her middle, his chin resting on her shoulder. She turned her head carefully and slowly, so as not to wake him from his slumber. He needed the rest, she knew it. 

She hadn’t expected to sleep with Tony so quickly after renewing their relationship but she didn’t regret it. It had felt right, seemed the perfect thing to do. He had been gentle, caring with her, more so than he had ever been with her. He had always been passionate with sex – the amount of women he had slept with only showed it – but Pepper had spent years with Tony. 

She was different from the other women Tony had slept with. To him, it had just been sex, a night in the sack to let out steam and release the tension. Tony had once told her sex was the only thing that shut down his mind. As a genius his brain never seemed to stop. Sex was the only thing that helped Tony to rest. He always felt well rested after sex. 

Yet, though she had never slept with Tony in his playboy days, Pepper had, had other relationships. She knew the difference. There was just sex and then there was making love. Tony didn’t just have sex with her, no. He made love to her. 

She still remembered their first time together. It was a memory she would never forget. He had been nervous, worried about causing her harm since it had been so long since she’d slept with anyone. He had been slow, caressing, letting her lead. He had made sure she was ready for him before he had entered her for the first time. Then he had waited for her to get used to him being inside her.

Tony had been the biggest she’d been with but he fit perfectly. They complimented one another. He had given her complete and utter satisfaction, something that none of her other relationships had ever given her. They had spent that night and the following two days after hardly leaving the bed, instead wanting to explore each other’s bodies. Each time, Tony had made love to her. 

Pepper’s stomach quenched. 

Tony really loved her. He had loved her for a long time. He had once admitted to her that it had been thoughts of her that had got him through Afghanistan. He had never spoken to her about it. Not much. He had always kept what had happened over there bottled up. 

He had suffered mentally because of Afghanistan. Suffered mentally because of what had happened in New York. He had nearly lost her. She had left him at a time when he shouldn’t have been left alone. She regretted it. And she hated herself for doing it. Everything had come to a head and Pepper had needed to take a break.

Ever since walking out she had wanted to come back. But she knew they had needed the space. The space to sort out their issues and realise that they needed one another. Tony was a big part of her life. They were entwined together in such a way that their futures would always be linked. 

And she loved him. So much. 

She couldn’t imagine a future without him. 

Pepper worried Tony would kill himself with Iron Man – and he had come close to death several times but always survived. Now, she was relieved he had compromised on his usage of the suit. It didn’t cease her worries, but it helped that Tony was willing to only use it when it was really needed. She knew he would still use the suit for fun and she didn’t mind that. It was the fact that he had nearly died. 

But she could live with that. And she had compromised too by not asking him to give up the suits altogether. 

Relationships only worked when both sides were willing to compromise. She and Tony had both made concessions, enough that she hoped it would mean their relationship would last. 

There was a slight movement of Tony’s hips behind her and she could feel a slight hardness on her thigh. 

Tony was waking up and his body was responding to her close proximity. 

She grinned. She didn’t mind. Now that she had slept with him, she wanted more of him. They needed to make up for lost time. 

She shifted her body, turning herself around in his arms so she could face him. His eyes slowly opened. There was a small smile on his face as she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. 

“Good morning,” she whispered against his lips, kissing him. 

“It’s a very good morning,” he murmured. He moved his hips. He was getting harder.

Moving her hands between them, Pepper grasped his hardening length, stroking him slowly and sensually, as they continued to kiss. He groaned into her mouth. As he shifted his body to roll her onto her back, Pepper had another idea. One she knew he would like.

“No…” 

Tony looked confused at her refusal. He almost look deflated. 

Pepper giggled, seeing his disappointment. “I’m not saying no to sex.” 

Tony’s eyes widened as realisation struck. “Oh.” 

Then he promptly rolled onto his back, taking Pepper with him, so she lay over his body, his hard cock pressing into her abdomen. 

They kissed for a few minutes before Pepper began to move down his body, kissing him on his skin, paying special attention to where his scars were, where the arc reactor had once sat in his chest. She twirled her tongue over the skin, licking his nipples and continuing to move down his body, until she reached her destination. 

His cock stood upright, hard and long, as she held it in one hand, slowly stroking the base with her fingers. She looked up at Tony, who lay on his back, watching her with his eyes foggy with desire. 

Tilting her head down again, Pepper licked his cock from base to tip. 

Tony let out a strangled moan. 

Then she did it again, licking his cock all the way around, until she had fully coated it with her mouth. Then she took it all in her mouth, sucking, licking all at once. Tony’s hips jerked up and she used her left hand (the one not holding his dick) to press his hips back down onto the bed. 

Her tongue continued to swirl over the member in her mouth. She dipped her head even lower, letting his cock slide all the way in until the tip touched the back of her throat. 

Tony’s hands gripped the sheets. “God, Pepp….” He couldn’t complete the sentence. 

She released his cock from her mouth. Tony whined at the unexpected release. 

Lowering her head again, Pepper fondled his balls with her fingers, before taking his cock back into her mouth. 

Tony thrust up and she pressed down on his hip again. He couldn’t control his actions, he was lost in the ecstasy of what her mouth was doing to him. She tasted pre-cum in her lips. He was close.

With one last lick of his cock, sucking the tip of it, Pepper released him. 

“Don’t stop…” he moaned. “I need to come…”

“I’m not,” she grinned. Swiftly she moved up his body, teasing his cock with her entrance. 

His eyes were barely open, but his hands found her hips and he thrust up into her warm, slick wetness, groaning. He couldn’t maintain the position though and sank back down, his cock coming free of her folds. 

“I need… I need…” he panted.

She knew what he wanted. She wasn’t going to deny him either.

She lowered her hips, teasing the tip of his cock with her heat, before she sank down on him, taking him fully within her. 

Placing her hands either side of his head, they looked at one another, eyes filled with desire as she started to move, rising up and down again, riding him slowly at first. Sensually.  
She wanted him to experience intense pleasure. His hands were on her hips but he didn’t try to control the situation. 

Finally after making love to him slowly, she began to ride him faster, knowing that she was close to orgasm too.  
Sweat slicked down their bodies and then… 

Pepper pushed down hard. Tony buckled beneath her, and he came, pouring his seed inside her. His resulting orgasm triggered hers and they both came, as she slowly continued to ride him, milking him of every seed he let loose. 

Finally she stopped moving. 

Both were panting. 

Exhaustion flooded her body. 

Reluctantly, she lifted her hips and his now-limp cock slid out of her. 

“Wow… that… was… some… wake… up… call… “ Tony panted from beside her, as she lay down next to him. “I really… really… needed that.” 

Pepper leaned into kiss him on the lips. She knew without a doubt that she loved him with all her heart. She never wanted to hurt him again. “I love you Tony…” 

Tony responded, kissing her on the lips. “I love you too.” 

\- - - - -

They lay in bed for a while that morning after their evening and early morning activities, before they decided to get up. Pepper went to the shower first whilst Tony waited for his turn. While he waited, he stripped her bed of the sheets as they were a bit sticky and messy, and put them on to wash. 

After they were both showed and dressed, Tony and Pepper ate a healthy breakfast of Weetabix with slices of grapes and bananas spread out on top. 

“So… what are we going to do today?” asked Tony. 

“I was thinking we could talk some more,” suggested Pepper. “If you are happy to do that… I don’t want to push you… but I also think we need to be truthful… if this is going to work for us.” 

Tony slowly nodded. “Ok. What do you want to talk about?” 

“Whatever you feel like telling me. I’m not going to push you into talking to me about things you are not ready to talk about yet…” she explained. “But we did agree on reflective sessions. I think today would be a good time to start.” 

“I can do that,” said Tony. He had agreed to it after all. He didn’t want to ruin this. It would probably be better for him to talk about his issues sooner rather than later. “Shall we start now?” 

Pepper shook her head. “Not just yet. I need to go into town. Pick up a few things. When I get back, hopefully you will have decided on what you want to talk to me about.” 

That seemed reasonable. 

For a start Tony had no idea what to talk to Pepper about. There was so many subjects he could choose from. 

“I think I’ll make a list.” 

Lists were good. Lists were organised. 

Pepper inclined her head. “I do not expect miracles, Tony. I know it will be hard for you. Whenever you want to stop you can. Even if it is just five minutes a week, it is still a start.” Getting up from her chair, she walked around the table and kissed him on the lips. “I’ll get my bag and I’ll see you later.” 

After Pepper had gone, Tony fetched a piece of paper and started to write down all the topics that he needed to be truthful about. By the time he was done, he had quite a few subjects he could go through. He knew all of them would be hard but if it helped fix his relationship with Pepper, wouldn’t it be worth it? 

**What I need to tell Pepper**

**1)** Afghanistan

**2)** Howard (and Stane?)

**3)** The Avengers

**4)** Witchy Visions

**5)** My worries of the future

Looking through the list, he now had to decide what topic to start with. Number five was a definite no; that one could only be talked about after every other subject had been exhausted. Four wouldn’t make sense unless he spoke about three first and he didn’t really feel like wanting to talk about his former team-mates either. 

That left only two subjects. 

Afghanistan or Howard (and Stane?). 

He could talk about his dad, how he felt growing up, how he felt undervalued, how he was just an heir for Howard so the company remained in the Stark name… And how Obadiah had manipulated him, kept him on a leash for all those years following Howard’s and his mum’s murder. 

But no, he couldn’t talk about Howard just yet. 

That left one subject. 

Afghanistan. 

That was where everything had really started. Pepper knew some things about his captivity but not enough that she truly knew what he had lived through. What he had suffered. How he had really relied on his memory and love for her to get him through. 

No.

It had to be Afghanistan. He had to start there. 

It was the only possible option. 

Tony felt sick to the stomach. He had never really faced Afghanistan. This would be the first time in eight years since that event he would really talk about it. Could he really do it?  
He began to panic at the idea of Pepper knowing everything. What if she hated him for not giving in? What if she turned against him because he had knowingly killed people in his revenge against those that had sought to use him against his country? What if… what if?

His mind swirled. He felt dizzy. His heart rate sped up. He was having a panic attack. 

A panic attack about talking to Pepper. 

“Stop being stupid, Stark. Pepper won’t leave you.” 

He started to calm down. Rationale was prevailing. 

He started to breathe in a more regular pattern. 

Finally when he felt better, Tony got up from his chair and went to the living room where he started to rearrange the furniture. It wasn’t because he really wanted to change something in Pepper’s home. He wanted to feel that he was getting the help he needed by making it a more therapeutic setting. 

Thankfully one of Pepper’s chairs reclined, lifting up a footrest as well. 

He moved the sofa to the side, and positioned another chair in front of his recline able one. 

After he had finished, he put the kettle on for coffee and made himself a strong brew. Sipping it a bit at a time he waited for Pepper to return. 

She was out for an hour and a half before she came home. When she did, she found Tony lying on the recliner chair, feet up and hands over his chest. 

“I wasn’t expecting this,” she commented. 

“I thought it would be appropriate given the circumstances,” responded Tony as he watched her walk across the room and deposit her bags. “There’s coffee in the machine if you want to have some.” 

Pepper shook off her coat and retrieved herself a cup of coffee before seating in the chair opposite Tony. 

“I thought this layout would be therapeutic,” shrugged Tony. “It’s not wrong is it?” 

Pepper smiled. “No, its fine, Tony.” 

“You said you wanted me to talk to you. So I am,” began Tony. “What I’m about to tell you will be extremely difficult for me. I’ve never spoken about this to anyone… I’ve never wanted anyone to know… I still don’t… but you deserve to know… because if I’m going to marry you, you need to know.” 

Pepper jerked back at Tony’s sudden admission. “Marry me?” 

“Shit, I let my mouth run away with me, didn’t I?” Tony cringed. He hadn’t meant to say that. 

Pepper breathed out slowly. The initial shock on her features faded. “I’m just going to ignore you said those words because if I focus on it is going to distract us from what you really want to talk about.” 

Tony sighed. “I didn’t say a thing.” 

Pepper smiled lightly. She leaned forward and squeezed his hand. “Of course you didn’t.” 

“One thing I have rarely spoken about is Afghanistan. Even the report I had to give to the authorities before I was cleared to come home was incomplete. I just wanted to get out of there,” explained Tony. It was a start. “I just wanted to be home…” 

“Afghanistan changed me… I experienced things there that I never want to again.” Tony fell silent, lowering his gaze. 

“Take your time,” urged Pepper. 

Tony was quiet for a few minutes as he played with his hands in his lap. When he raised his chin again, his eyes were filled with determination. He wanted to do this. He wanted Pepper to know the deepest, darkest secret he had kept. His time in Afghanistan had made who he was today. 

“We were on our way back to base so I could fly home… The convoy was attacked. The soldiers I was with were killed as they exited the vehicle. Their blood was splattered all over the windows. They’d ordered me to stay within the Humvee… But the bullets went through… Missed me… I panicked and… and…” He shuddered. “I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I’d stayed in the Humvee like I was supposed to… Would I have died? Still been kidnapped? Would Rhodey have saved me before they got to me? Would I even be Iron Man?” 

Tony closed his eyes. He hadn’t got to the worst part yet. Memories were flashing through his eyelids. Breathe, Tony. 

“I panicked. I left the Humvee. Ran for it. I tried to get to safety behind some rocks. I got my phone out. Funny really, I was in the middle of an attack and all I thought about was calling you.” He opened his eyes and looked straight at Pepper. “I wanted to hear your voice one last time before I died.” 

“Then… one of my weapons shot by me, sunk into the sand. I was shocked that it was there… How it had got there. I didn’t move fast enough. It exploded before I could get out of range….” Tony’s hands were trembling. “I felt instant pain explode through my chest. I was in agony. I fell back into the sand… The shrapnel had gone through my bullet-proof vest… I was bleeding out. I knew I was dead… That I wasn’t going to live to see you again.” 

Tony closed his eyes, breathing out slowly. “The next thing I remember is excruciating pain in my chest. I was screaming… thrashing… trying to escape… I was being held down as someone operated on me. I saw flashes of metal… Of knives and utensils going into my chest… I knew I was bleeding out… I felt something touch my heart…” he swallowed. He knew his face would be white. He had never spoken of this before. He had never wanted to think about that operation again.

Ever.

“They knocked me out eventually… I woke up in a cave, flat on my back, a tube up my nose and connected to a rusty car battery. There was a man there… His name was Yinsen. He was an elderly gentleman, a fellow prisoner, but one that had medical skills and had been ordered to save my life. He kept me alive when I should be dead.” Tony closed his eyes again. Yinsen’s face swam in front of his vision. “Without him… I wouldn’t be here. He nursed me back to health until I was ready to be seen by my captors. It wasn’t long after I had woken up that they came. They welcomed me… Called me a mass murderer… Asked me to build the Jericho for them…” He fell silent. 

Pepper squeezed his hand.

“I…. refused.”

“Tony…” Pepper whispered quietly. 

“They tortured me.” 

Tony started to shake. “They did whatever they could to make me do what they wanted.” He bit his lower lip. “They…. burnt me. Whipped me… Cut me… But the worst thing of all is they forced my head underneath water. Dirty water. Kept it there until I couldn’t breathe. They kept on doing this… I still refused. I couldn’t give them what they wanted.” Tony’s hand touched the spot on his chest where the Arc Reactor had once protected his heart from shrapnel. 

“They tried something new. They forced my head and chest underwater. The Reactor being powered by a car battery at that point…” He trailed off, looking straight at Pepper. Her face was white and she grasped for his hand. 

“They electrocuted you…” she whispered. 

Tony nodded. “I heard you.” 

“What?” 

“Your voice… As they tortured me, I heard it. You yelled my name. You kept me going. The thought of you helped me stay strong for as long as I could. But… I couldn’t hold out for much longer.” A single tear fell from his right eye and he wiped it away hastily. 

Stark's never cried. 

“I said I’d build them the Jericho… I had no choice… It was the only way to stop them torturing me. They took me outside, showed me why it had been foolish to resist them… They had my weapons… All different types, apart from the Jericho. They had everything I needed. We were in a dip in the mountains, a place well hidden away from prying eyes. The US Military would never have found me.” 

Pepper continued to watch him carefully. 

“Yinsen helped me. I didn’t build the Jericho for them though. I built the first Arc Reactor with materials from the weapons they had. The battery-powered reactor would only have delayed my death by a week or so… The Arc Reactor gave me the time I needed. I had the idea of building a weapon to escape. I disguised it so they assumed I was assembling a Jericho missile. They never knew what was coming, the terrorists that held me. I had to finish it quickly. It was crude, ruthless… the first Iron Man did its job.” 

His eyes hardened then. 

“I killed most of them in my escape. Yinsen… the man who helped save me… He died. I couldn’t save him… WHY COULDN’T I SAVE HIM?” Tony’s voice rose suddenly, startling Pepper. 

Tony was breathing quicker now, his chest rising up and down as he sought to calm himself. 

“Tony…” Pepper leaned forward, reaching for his hand, but Tony yanked it away, forcing himself to sit up, swinging his legs out over the chair. 

“No. Please. Don’t.” Tony panted.

He stood, looking down at Pepper as he did so. “I need to be alone. Please don’t follow.” 

Tony ran. 

**To be continued....**


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony continues therapy with Pepper...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was meant to come quicker... I got distracted...
> 
> Apologies!

Pepper didn’t know what to do. 

She wanted to run after him; wanted to be sure he wouldn’t do anything stupid, but she knew Tony well enough he just needed time alone. He’d just spoken about one of the most traumatic experiences of his life. The torture he had suffered in Afghanistan and what they had forced him to do… She had known it had never been a holiday for him, but to finally hear him confessing to what he had lived through, hurt her. 

She wished she could have been there for him. 

But if I had been they would have hurt me instead to force him to work. 

And he would have given in, just to save her from the pain. 

She felt at a loss. Not sure of what to do. 

It was a shame Friday wasn’t installed in this building otherwise she would have been able to keep track of Tony’s whereabouts. She hoped he hadn’t gone too far.   
Knowing that following him was fruitless, Pepper decided to clean the kitchen. It didn’t really needed doing but she had to do something to keep her mind away from Tony.

He would come back on his own when he was ready to. 

\- - - - -

Tony found himself back in the lab at Stark Industries. 

Because he wasn’t at the Avenger’s Facility, he had nowhere else to go. He didn’t want to return to Pepper’s apartment after walking out. No just yet anyway. He needed to sort out his head first. 

Taking about Afghanistan had been incredibly difficult. He had hated every second of it. Even now he could see flashes of light and darkness as they continued to dunk him.   
He had owed it to Pepper to talk about his experiences but it hurt like hell. Tony knew he still had a long way to go. He had to tell her everything else too. He wanted Pepper to be able to trust him. 

Tony looked down at the object he was fiddling with. It was an unfinished project, one that had the potential to be big if marketed correctly and carefully. It wasn’t his work but fiddling with it made him feel better. 

His mind kept going back to Afghanistan. Now he’d unleashed the memories, they were coming fast and furious. Every single torture session he’d ever experienced was flashing through his head. He tried to concentrate on his task at hand but couldn’t… 

_He was drowning in water…_

_He was being burned…_

_His heart rate increased as he was electrocuted underwater with the arc reactor barely being able to take the strain._

_Knives were sliding all over his body, cutting the skin and making blood pour down his back._

_Tony was suffering…_

He found himself on the floor, clutching the table leg of the desk he had been sitting at. Some point during his flashback he must have fallen onto the floor as his arm and shoulder ached. His face was wet from tears that must have fallen from his eyes in the throes of a flashback. He really hoped there wasn’t any CCTV in the lab that would show him having a full-blown panic/anxiety attack. 

“I need to get Pepper to check and then delete the video,” he muttered to himself. Oh god, Pepper. He’d just left her. Run off. How long had he been gone? He looked at his watch. It was nearly six in the evening. He’d been here most of the day… _Oh Pepper is gonna kill me._

He’d run out on her. 

Getting to his feet, Tony carefully placed the project he had been fiddling with back in its original position, wrote a quick note to state that he had fiddled with it, signing his name, and if they needed to talk to him about it to contact him. 

Locking the lab behind him, Tony made his way through the empty buildings of Stark Industries, ensuring everything was secure before he left the premises. 

Then he made his way back to Pepper’s apartment. Reaching the door he knocked, realising he didn’t have a key to get in. 

She answered.

“Pep… I’m sor…” He never managed to finish as Pepper placed a finger against his lips.

“Don’t. You do not need to be sorry,” she said. She pulled him inside. “I didn’t come after you. What you told me was incredibly hard for you to do. I can only respect your choice to want to be alone after doing so.”

“You are amazing.” Tony smiled.

Pepper shook her head. “No. I’m not. If I was, I would never have left you. After everything that has gone on… leaving you was the worst possible thing for me to do.”

“Honey…” Tony dropped his head down, lifted a hand and stroked her right cheek. “You did what you thought was right…. You’re here now… That is more important to me.” 

“You shouldn’t be so understanding, Tony,” said Pepper. She leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. “If you are not going to feel great after talking to me, just do what you think is right for you.” 

Tony pulled her into a hug. “Thank you.” He was lucky to have her. “Um… one more thing…” He stepped back a bit, holding her shoulders with his hands. 

“What?” She looked a bit wary. 

“Can you delete security footage of inside the R&D lab for the last few hours?” 

Pepper nodded. “I can do it on Monday. I’m not going to ask why but I think I can guess.” 

Tony hugged her again, murmuring into her hair. “Thank you.” 

\- - - - -

In the evening after they had had a meal, Tony and Pepper settled down to watch a film. They ended up watching a comedy, curled up on the sofa. It was a romantic comedy, an old one from the early 2000’s. ‘Love Actually’ was one of Pepper’s favourite films. Tony found it amusing but it wasn’t his type of film. He did prefer the more action ones though he always said how unrealistic it was.

Halfway through the film, Pepper noticed Tony’s hand went limp in her own and she turned her attention from the film to him. His head had slipped onto her shoulder and his breathing was low. His eyes were closed and she could tell he was deeply asleep. 

She didn’t have the heart to wake him from his slumber. 

When the film reached the end, she carefully reached for the remote and switched it off. She sat there, contemplating on whether to wake Tony so she could move or to let him rest against her. 

Though he hadn’t woken, he had moved in his sleep. His body had slithered down the sofa, his head now resting on her tummy, and his left hand still curled in her right.   
Deciding to let him rest, Pepper leaned back and closed her own eyes. 

She rested for an hour before Tony woke up. 

“Film… finished?” He sounded like he was out of it. 

“A while ago…” she muttered softly, stroking his hair. 

“I don’t think I’ve slept that well in a while…” he said quietly, still sounding tired. 

Pepper smiled gently. “You can probably continue it if you go to sleep in the bed…” 

Tony moved enough for Pepper to leave the sofa, though she had to entice him along by dragging him to her bedroom. He really was tired. Clearly the therapy with her had taken its toll. 

Pepper undressed quickly, putting on a nightie whilst Tony slipped out of his clothes, still in a daze, put on some boxers and clambered into the bed. 

Pepper climbed in next to him, pulling the covers over themselves as they curled sleepily into one another.

\- - - - -

Pepper woke the next morning to find Tony’s arms wrapped around her abdomen and she could feel something hard poking through the fabric of her nightie and into her rear.   
“Good morning…” She was sure he was awake. 

Warm lips found her neck and kissed tender kisses down the skin. “Morning… Sorry for the wake-up call.”

Pepper chuckled, pressing herself against him. She knew Tony’s sex drive was high but hers was to. Before they had taken a break, their sexual activities had been on a very regular basis. It seemed that was going to continue. “Are you going to do something about it then?” She asked, as she circled her backside against his groin. 

What followed was an intense hour as Tony slowly and passionately made love to her. 

Later that day Pepper found Tony sitting on the chair in his ‘therapy room’. 

“You want to talk to me more?” she asked surprised. 

Tony nodded. “I think it would be better to tell you more sooner…” He shrugged. “I’ve let the dam loose it seems. I’ll be going back to New York later… I’d rather you knew about what I needed to say now than let me stew on it for a while.” 

Pepper nodded. “Okay.” She sat down on the chair provided, watching Tony carefully. 

“I’ve always had trouble trusting people,” began Tony, avoiding her gaze. “You are – and remain – one of the few people I can truly trust. There isn’t many people I can put my faith in. Everyone… seems to either put me down or betray…” 

He’s talking about Stane and Steve… Pepper mused in her thoughts. 

“You can probably guess who I mean…” said Tony quietly. 

She nodded. “I think I can.” 

Then Tony said something she had not expected but it should have been obvious. 

“My father never really put his faith in me… If he did, he never said it to me. I lost a lot of confidence because of the way I was raised. Dad never made me feel loved or special, like a father should do with their kid. He was always so busy, chasing off after Rogers… Running the business… Never giving me the light of day… Handing me over to Stane or Jarvis whenever he had the chance.” Tony leaned back, resting his head against the soft pillow of the chair. “Growing up mum was the only one I could rely on but she never understood me. I was the child she longed for but I took after dad… with his intelligence and mum was left behind… The one person that loved me no matter what and I didn’t appreciate her enough… I always tried, so damn hard to impress dad… And he never gave me anything.” 

Tony fell silent. 

Pepper knew he would continue when he was ready to. All she did was reach across and squeeze his hand. It seemed to give him the strength he needed to continue. 

“Jarvis was always there for me when dad was not… He never understood what I spoke to him about but he always encouraged me. I wish dad had done that instead of always putting me down. I know mum tried… It wasn’t the same… And Stane came along, weaving his way into dad’s life, working his way up and becoming a trusted partner of the company… He was a father to me, more of a one than dad ever was.” Tony closed his eyes. “And yet he betrayed me in the worst possible way.” 

Tony opened his eyes again and looked at Pepper. “Obadiah sold me out. When I found out I was so… livid and upset. I didn’t know how to process it. It felt like my heart was splitting in to two. Obadiah was supposed to guide me when dad couldn’t… He wormed his way into my heart so I’d trust him with ease. He could do anything he wanted with the company and I wouldn’t notice because I was far too interested in gambling, drinking and having as much sex as I could…” He bit his lip. “I hate who I was before.” 

“Tony…” Pepper whispered sadly. 

He shook his head. He didn’t want to hear anything at the moment. He just wanted to talk. “I know I always donated money to charitable causes even before Afghanistan… but I never really paid much attention to them. Obadiah always used to encourage me to stay in my little bubble and let him run things… Look where that led me: a cave in Afghanistan, a prisoner of terrorists who wanted to use me against my country. Even when I got back, even when he wanted to see the Arc Reactor I showed it to him because I knew I could trust him not to reveal it to anyone else… He touched it…” Tony shivered. 

Pepper squeezed his hand, urging him to continue. She was there to support him after all. 

“It didn’t feel wrong at the time… Looking back now, I know it was. If we hadn’t been in a public place, I’m sure he would have ripped it right out of me.” Tony sighed. “He did though eventually, especially when I became too suspicious about his activities. And that is only because of Christine Everhart and her constant digging into the deals made by SI.” 

“Is that why you will only talk to her for interviews now?” asked Pepper. Certainly she had noticed Tony spoke more to Everhart than any other reporter. It didn’t bother her. Whereas before Tony became Iron Man, Everhart would do anything in her power to slander and destroy him. Now she promoted him, becoming one of his staunchest supporters. 

“I do. Christine was the one who showed me photos of Gulmira where my weapons were being used. She was going to release them to the public…” Tony sighed. “I don’t know why she didn’t… I told her I never approved of any shipment. Obadiah didn’t deny it either when I showed him the photographs, I knew then he had to be the one behind it. I couldn’t live with myself if I had allowed it to continue.” Tony closed his eyes and swallowed. “After he died, I looked into Obadiah’s affairs. He’d been double-dealing for years, starting when I was just starting out as CEO. It was only occasionally at first but the more I didn’t noticed, the more he dealt. He’d been in contact with the Ten Rings for years, supplying them with weapons across the world. He had no qualms about it, nothing. Even if innocent people died… I designed the weapons to help people not kill them. He knew I was useful alive as long as I continued to remain complacent. I don’t know why he decided to get rid of me when he did…” 

Tony went quiet, motioning for Pepper to stay silent. 

She did so, only because she knew Tony was collecting his thoughts. 

“I think he was power-hungry… Thought he didn’t deserve to just be my second. He wanted the company to himself. I know he was annoyed when dad announced that I’d become CEO when he died. I had no experience running a company and yet dad just decided I would be his heir. The board would have no say in the matter either. I wasn’t the best CEO… Stane kept me around until I became too problematic for him. When I designed the Jericho it was he who suggested I go to Afghanistan to personally demonstrate it. I’d never travelled to a war zone for a weapons demonstration before… I should have realised something was up when he suggested it… but like the little lamb I was, I complied, believing it would be a good reason to show off and strike fear into the heart of terrorists everywhere.” He rolled his eyes. “I was such an idiot! All our weapons testing were done on our testing ground. I should have made the connection when I woke up in the terrorists cave!” 

Tony was getting angry, Pepper could see. 

“And when I did realise who he was, he tried to kill me and you!” Tony’s hand moved up to the space where the arc reactor had once resided in his chest. “He paralysed me… Took the Reactor out… He knew it would slowly kill me. He didn’t give a damn. It’s only because of you I survived. Pep… if you hadn’t saved the spare Arc Reactor, neither of us would be here now. And DumE… He handed it to me when I couldn’t reach it. I should really appreciate him more instead of constantly threatening to give him an overhaul.”   
Pepper smiled gently. “I’m glad I did. I think you needed a reminder of what you lived through and what a better person you became with it.” 

“You always had my best interests at heart…” Tony looked at Pepper, smiling a little bit. “I never realised how much you meant to me until Afghanistan. I just didn’t know how to go about it… I trust you and always will. Even when we were on a break, I still had faith… Trust is important to me, Pepper. Rogers broke that trust… Only you, Happy and Rhodey will ever have it.” 

He fell silent but leaned forward, swinging his legs over the side of the couch. “I’ve trusted the wrong people before but never again. I wanted to tell you about dad and Stane… After all these years you deserve it.” Tony pulled Pepper into a hug. 

“Thank you,” she whispered in his ear, wrapping her arms around him. “I’m proud of you for doing this. I think it will help us understand one another more than we did.” 

“If only I’d done this before…” Tony said sadly. 

Pepper kissed him on the lips. “I think our break-up was for the best. We found one another again because of it. And we wouldn’t be sitting here now talking about all this… I hated every minute I was away from you, knowing how terrible you looked when I left. But I love you, Tony, and always will. I feel closer to you now than before. I know you still have more things to say to me…” She trailed off, waiting for him to speak. 

“I think I’ve had enough for today,” admitted Tony sheepishly. 

“Then shall we have a movie afternoon before you have to head back to New York?” she suggested. “And if we have time…” She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively. 

“Why don’t we just skip to that part…?” 

“I think you should wait, Mr Stark…” Pepper supplied, standing up and walking away. “But the question is… can you?” 

**To be continued...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony returns to New York...

**Chapter 7**

Tony returned to New York later that day leaving Pepper behind back in Malibu. He intended to return to her later in the week. One thing he did notice was that he felt a lot lighter than he had felt in ages. He felt that a weight had lifted from his shoulders. 

Talking to Pepper seemed to have helped him mentally. Holding up the emotions for years hadn’t been a wise thing to do. It had nearly cost him Pepper but now he seemed to be on the right track. 

Tony knew he still had things to talk to Pepper about. He wondered if Pepper would discuss with him the issues she had as well. She may not have realised herself but Tony had noticed she had changed since the Extremis incident. She hadn’t really spoken about it to anyone. He hoped she might confide in him when he had finished his own therapy with her. 

“FRIDAY, can you do me a favour?” he said into his earpiece. “Can you look at spa retreats in India?” 

“Sure thing, boss.” 

Tony didn’t know why he wanted to know about spa retreats in India but he thought Pepper needed a break from everything that had been happening. It might be nice for them to go on a holiday, if Pepper had the time. 

Tony flew into New York in a Stark Industries jet, landing at the local airport before taking the QuinJet from there straight to the New Avengers Facility upstate. 

When he arrived at the facility he was greeted by Rhodey. He was surprised to see him. 

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here…” he said. 

“Someone has to make sure you haven’t got yourself in anymore trouble,” said Rhodey. 

“Didn’t you have surgery?” Before Tony had left with Pepper, Rhodey had just had surgery and was recovering.

“I did. The physios have been very good to me the last week. It wouldn’t help me lying in bed all day when I could be doing something useful. The surgeons said I could use the wheelchair to get around. The physios have even got me standing using aids but I won’t be able to walk again… Not properly anyway. I do have some feeling back in the legs after the surgery but not enough to make a complete recovery.” Rhodey shrugged. 

Tony felt guilty. This might not have happened.

“This isn’t you fault, Tones, so don’t think it.” 

Rhodey knew him far too well. Tony sighed. “Fine.” 

“How’s Pepper?” 

“She’s good,” answered Tony. He was silent for a few seconds before he confirmed what he was sure Rhodey had already suspected. “Pep and I are giving us another go.” 

“That’s really great news!” Rhodey smiled genuinely. “I knew you two would work it out!” 

“Pepper only came back because of Siberia,” said Tony. “She wouldn’t have otherwise.”

“Tones… Pepper loves you. She just needed space to think things through before coming back. I never doubted her,” smiled Rhodey. 

“I’m afraid I did not share your optimism,” muttered Tony. Though it had worked out and he and Pepper were back together, he had thought for a long time they wouldn’t. “We’ve been talking a lot. I think it has been helping us to reconnect and understand one another. I’m not without my issues. Hiding them from her was not the smartest move I have ever done.” Tony started to walk towards the compound. “Shall we? I’ve been away for a bit. I’m sure Ross will have things to discuss with me.”

Rhodey reached forward and grabbed for Tony’s sleeve. “Just so you know… Ross is here now.” 

“Wonderful.” 

\- - - - -

Tony had been dreading seeing the Secretary of State. He hadn’t seen him since just before he’d reunited with Pepper. Thaddeus Ross had been angry at Tony’s unauthorised mission to Siberia and had nearly arrested him, despite the physical injuries Tony had been suffering from. 

But Everett Ross had intervened, explaining that whilst Tony had signed the Accords, he was protected from being arrested by a small print rule that allowed Tony to what he wanted when it didn’t involve the endangerment of innocent lives. Since neither Rogers nor Barnes were innocent lives, Tony had escaped imprisonment with just a warning.   
Tony proceeded to his office where he found Thaddeus Ross waiting for him. 

“I see you have made a full recovery, Stark.” 

Tony ignored the comment and sat down on his chair, putting his legs up on the desk. He didn’t like the man so he wasn’t going to make his life any easier. 

“Have you got any closer to tracking down Rogers?” 

“Nope!” Tony folded his arms across his chest. Oh, he knew where Rogers was. He’d left with T’Challa in Siberia. Tony had notified T’Challa he had known where Rogers ad Barnes were going, telling him to follow him if he wanted to know the truth. Though Tony had never seen him, his sensors had detected a fifth presence in the silo when he’d been scanning for lifeforms. It was pretty obvious T’Challa, upon learning Barnes wasn’t responsible for the Vienna bombing had helped them to escape and was hiding them in Wakanda. He could easily shop them to Ross. But deep down Tony knew they needed Rogers free and not behind bars. Something worse was coming. For years Tony had tried to prepare the Earth for a further alien attack… Now he was all alone, save for Vision. And Spider-Man, though he wasn’t willing to allow a fifteen year old into the Avengers just yet. “If I knew where he was, I’d tell you.”

“You had better, Stark.” Ross sounded threatening. 

It didn’t faze Tony. “I’m well aware of my duties. If I had any intel I’d share it with you. It’s not my fault you didn’t act on the intelligence I gave you regarding Barnes.”   
Ross glared at Tony. “I’m watching you, Stark. You take one step out of line and you’ll be heading straight for the Raft as well.” 

Tony narrowed his eyes. “I’ll be very careful then.” 

Ross turned and stalked out of the office. 

Tony rolled his eyes. 

That man had issues. 

\- - - - -

A few days later Tony was helping Rhodey with his exercises, using some new braces Tony had designed and built to help him get walking again. Rhodey was feeling low but didn’t regret his decision to sign the Accords. He felt it was the right thing to do. It was during this exercise time that Tony received a parcel labelled ‘Tony Stank’ though when they looked at the parcel, the deliverer had read it as ‘Stank’ rather than ‘Stark’. 

Still the ‘Stank’ nickname was going to continue to stick. Rhodey would make sure of that. Tony didn’t mind. Rhodey deserved to have some fun in his life after what had happened to him. 

Later, in his office, Tony opened the parcel he had received. Inside was a letter addressed ‘Tony’ on the envelope. 

Opening it, Tony read the letter. 

_Tony,_

_I’m glad you are back at the compound. I don’t like the idea of your rattling around a mansion by yourself. We all need family. The Avengers are yours._

Tony’s eyes crinkled. No, the Avengers were not his. They had all run off with Rogers. He only had Vision left.

_Maybe more so than mine. I’ve been on my own since I was eighteen._

Tony had been on his own since he was seventeen. His parents had died and left him. Sure, he’d had Stane and Jarvis but it wasn’t the same.

_I never really fit in… anywhere, even in the army._

Did Steve really believe a genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist fit in anywhere? Clearly he did. 

_My faith is in people, I guess. Individuals. And… I’m happy to say… for the most part, they haven’t let me down. Which is why I can’t let them down either. Locks can be replaced but maybe they shouldn’t._

Tony knew Steve was planning on breaking the others out of the Raft. They shouldn’t even be in that place anyway. It hadn’t been built to hold the Avengers. Ross had been showing his sadistic side and his hatred for the Avengers when he imprisoned them there. 

_I know I hurt you, Tony. I guess I thought by not telling you about your parents I was sparing you but I can see now I was really sparing myself and I’m sorry._

Tony wasn’t sure what to think. Steve had betrayed him in the worst possible way. If he had told Tony sooner than this would never have happened… Steve hadn’t wanted the guilt of telling Tony the truth but keeping it from him had resulted in a massive fight that had broken them apart forever. Tony doubted they could ever be friends again, not in the way they once had been. 

_Hopefully one day you can understand. I wish we agreed on the Accords. I really do._

Steve would have preferred Tony agreeing with him. There is no way Steve wished he could have agreed with TonyI know you are doing what you believe in and that’s all any of us can do. It’s all any of us should. 

As he neared the end of the letter, Tony picked up the parcel again and shook it. A phone slid out onto the desk. It was pretty old one. Trust Rogers to use a mobile phone with limited tech. 

_So no matter what, I promise, if you need us, if you need me, I’ll be there._

_Steve_

At least Steve meant to come and help if Tony ever needed it. 

That was the tragedy of Siberia. 

Tony knew the world still needed the fugitive Avengers otherwise he wouldn’t bother with protecting them. What he had seen though the wormhole in New York a few years ago only confirmed they would be coming back. Tony couldn’t protect the Earth alone. Even with the new tech he was working on, it would still be insanely difficult to pull it off without the backup from Steve and the others. 

Tony picked up the phone. A part of him wanted to smash it and throw it away but the more sensible part realised how useful it could be. 

Despite wanting to kill Barnes in Siberia, Tony had come to an understanding in the few weeks since he had nearly been killed by the over eagerness of two super soldiers.   
He knew Barnes was not to blame for his actions as the Winter Soldier. He had been tortured and mind-wiped into doing Hydra’s bidding. He’d had no control. No sense of self.   
The shock of seeing his parent’s murder had overridden any sort of common sense Tony had. 

He’d acted like a human would. 

After all, he was only human, prone to all sorts of mistakes. 

Tony didn’t regret trying to beat up Barnes. He didn’t believe he would have killed him. He’d wanted Barnes to hurt for what he’d done. 

Steve getting in the way had only made things worse and Tony’s anger had deepened to the point where he was more likely to kill Barnes. 

Neither of them had handled the revelation particularly well. 

Still, on reflection, Tony wanted to help Barnes. Barnes needed psychiatric help, someone to talk to about his experiences and what he had lived through. Or at least something that would allow him to be free from his conditioning. Tony wanted to use B.A.R.F on him but he needed to refine it first before he out forth the offer.

He wondered if Rogers would let him talk to Barnes if he called. 

It didn’t matter at the moment. Tony wasn’t intending on making the offer that quickly anyway. He still had a lot of other things to do first. 

He decided to burn the letter later on but kept the phone Rogers had sent him in his pocket at all times. At least if he needed to notify Rogers at short notice he’d be able to.

\- - - - -

Not that long after Tony had received Roger’s letter, Tony got a priority call from Ross who said they had a breech at the Raft. Naturally, Tony put him on hold. It was a dangerous tactic but he needed the others out of the Raft if they were going to be free to help the Earth when it needed it. 

He knew he probably faced disciplinary action but Tony didn’t care. By the time he would have reached the Raft, Rogers and the others would have been long gone. He intended to use that as his excuse to put Ross on hold. Hopefully the internal investigations would uncover this.

Later that evening, Tony received a call from Happy. 

“That kid is annoying me.” Happy didn’t even say hello. He sounded annoyed. 

Tony winced. “Is the kid still messaging you every day?”

“Every hour, Tony,” replied Happy. 

“He’s just excited? Look, just keep an eye on him for me. If he gets in to any trouble let me know,” said Tony. “He’s a good kid.” 

“Fine.” 

After he’d finished speaking to Happy, Tony called Pepper, reaching out to her and trying to keep his end of his promises to keep their relationship strong.

He told her about Steve’s letter and then the other Avenger’s subsequent escape from the Raft and how he had let it happen. 

“Are you sure it was wise to put Ross on hold?” She sounded worried. 

Tony shrugged. “They would have escaped anyway. The Iron Man suit may be fast but it’s not that fast. Besides… its better they live on the run than cooped up in a cell. I know we’ll need them, Pep. Keeping them locked up in the long run isn’t going to help us.” 

Pepper was silent for a few moments. “I guess… if you truly believe that, I will support you. But Tony… Be careful. They are wanted criminals now.” 

“I know.” Tony looked down. “I was thinking of returning to Malibu this weekend…” 

“You don’t need to,” said Pepper. “I’ve got another business meeting on Wednesday next week. I was going to work from the compound on Monday and Tuesday. It is partly owned by Stark Industries after all…” 

“Oh, right. Are you coming Friday then?”

“I am,” she confirmed. “And, Tony, there are things I need to talk to you about too. It’s not just you who needs to talk… I do too… And I hope we can continue this. I think it will heal the both of us.” 

Tony believed that. It was helping talking to Pepper for it. He felt lighter and more in control than he had in a long time. “It is helping me.” He wished he was there, holding her in his arms. “I love you, Pep.” 

“I love you too, Tony.” 

He ended the call. The rest of the week, he was sure, would go achingly slow. He couldn’t wait to see Pepper again. 

Friday couldn’t come quick enough. 

**To be continued....**

**Please let me know what you think!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we slide out of Civil War and into the Spiderman: Homecoming storyline... only this time on Tony's side...


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony continues his therapy with Pepper... and she may just have something to tell him about too...

When Friday arrived Tony felt relieved. It meant he would see Pepper again. Though they had spoken over the phone during the week, seeing one another in person was a much better option. Tony decided to wait at the Compound for the _Stark Industries_ plane to land. When he received notification the plane was inbound, Tony had made his way to the landing strip and watched as the flight landed, staying to the side as it rolled to a stop. 

He approached slowly, hands in his pockets as the door came down. Tony waited for Pepper to leave the plane before he strolled forward further. She smiled at him as he met her at the bottom of the steps. She was holding one suitcase. 

“Would you like me to take your things for you?” he asked, trying to be gentlemanly.

“Are you escorting me, Mr Stark?” she asked, smiling lightly. 

Tony shrugged. “I could be.” 

She handed him the suitcase. “How are you?” 

“A bit stressed. Ross has been on my back again trying to get me to find Rogers. He’s not my problem if he’s not causing trouble. Where ever he is, he’s staying quiet,” answered Tony truthfully. 

“Smart,” mused Pepper, walking slowly beside Tony across the landing strip, as a small wind blew her hair around her shoulders. 

They stayed silent until they reached the doors of the compound. Vision was there, waiting for them in the foyer. 

“Miss Potts, it’s good to see you again,” he bowed to her. 

“Please do not bow, Vision,” she said. 

“It is only proper to bow to a lady,” responded Vision. The protocols of JARVIS still influenced him though he was now his own entity. 

“Take it while you can, Pep,” whispered Tony. 

“Is there anything I can do for you, Mr Stark?” asked Vision. As a brand new lifeform, Vision still had memories of being Tony’s A.I and he struggled with the notion he didn’t have to be told what to do. He had his own choices, own life… It was just a matter of finding oneself. 

“No, Vision, thank you,” answered Tony. “If I need you I’ll call you.” He knew Vision would know instantly if he was required. 

“Then I shall take my leave of you,” replied Vision, turning and walking straight through a wall. 

Tony smiled. “He really isn’t big on doors. I should probably give him some training on that.” He turned to Pepper. “Shall we?” 

“Lead the way, Mr Stark,” teased Pepper. 

\- - - - -

Three hours later after Pepper had settled in and Tony had attempted to cook her fried chicken (it was burnt) with vegetables (they were undercooked), they were settling down in the private lounge Tony had reserved for just himself. He needed his space in the compound and he did own the building. If he wanted his own space, he could have it. 

Pepper was just contemplating what film to watch when Tony spoke up quietly from beside her. 

“Can we talk instead?” 

She looked at him, surprised by the request. They’d both drunk a little alcohol with their dinner but not enough to make them too drunk to have a serious conversation. “Ok. What do you want to talk about?” 

Tony’s mouth twitched. He was committed now. “I want to talk about the Avengers… This would be a sort of therapy session… Well,” he shrugged, “it would be one… I think I need to discuss them with you… How I feel about them.” 

Pepper moved to sit up. “Ok.” She moved to stand and sit in another chair when Tony grabbed her wrist. 

“No. Stay here.” 

“I can’t be a therapist….” 

Tony was shaking his head. “No… I mean…” He shifted a bit. “Can I have my head in your lap?” 

“Oh.” Pepper smiled. “Sure.” Then she winked at him. “You just want a head rub, don’t you?” 

Tony chuckled. “You saw through my evil plan!” 

Pepper sat back down, tucking her legs underneath her, and then Tony lay on his back, placing a pillow behind him to support himself and rested his head in Pepper’s lap. She laced her fingers through his hair.

Tony’s face was sombre as he began to speak. “The Avengers were a team I felt a part of… It took a while but I thought we worked well together. We had our differences yet we always balanced one another out. I was rejected from the program… I know you already know… My self-destructive tendencies made me less likely of a candidate. I would be the backup, the consultant, who would only be called when absolutely needed.” 

Tony shifted slightly. “I was needed pretty soon. Loki. The Tesseract. All of it was linked. They called me up because SHIELD had no other choice. They needed me on this one. It was the formation of the Avengers… A group of unlikely people who worked together to save the world.” He smiled, his eyes shining. “I never thought I would ever be called a hero… We worked together because it was the only way to save the world. It came at a price…” He eyes darkened. “I experienced things which changed me… Made my usual sufferable ticks insufferable.” 

Pepper stroked his head, soothing him. 

“I’ve never told anyone what I saw through the portal.” He titled his chin back and looked at her in the eyes. “You’ll be the first to know. It scarred me, Pepper, more than I care to admit.” He fell silent, unsure if he could really go through with it. 

“Tony.” Pepper urged him quietly. “What did you see?” 

Tony sighed, taking his time to formulate an answer. “A massive army on its way to Earth. We just had the first wave. There were so many more out there. We think we know a lot about the universe but we really don’t. Compared to the Chitauri… We are just monkeys still learning to walk. We can’t ignore how ignorant we are of what is out there… What is coming for us. They targeted Earth before… I’m sure they are coming back for us, Pep. We’re not ready for it at all.” 

He reached up and clutched her right hand, pressing a kiss to her fingers. 

“The Avengers cannot hope to win or defend the Earth if we are split the way we are. I fought so hard to keep them together… And they all turned their back on me.” 

“Not all,” she reminded him. 

“Two didn’t. The rest followed Rogers,” stated Tony. He did still feel angry about it. Most of Steve’s team hadn’t bothered to read the Accords. They had just made assumptions based on what they had heard from Thaddeus Ross, a man who didn’t really have that much control over the Avengers. “We did need to take accountability. The Avengers shouldn’t be above the law. The whole point Steve argued against it was because it took away our rights to help people… It fucking doesn’t! If there is a genuine emergency than we can act without going through the committee. As long as we submit a report afterwards…” Tony trailed off. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to get into a rant about the Accords. “The Avengers were torn apart because Rogers is an idiot who couldn’t see past the life of his best friend. A best friend who is a war criminal… One who has been a danger to society for decades. Yes, we know now Barnes was brainwashed and is much a victim as those he killed, it doesn’t prevent the fact he is a known killer who still needs to answer for the crimes he committed. If Rogers had let the government help him… Barnes might be in a position now where he might be able to help people instead of being on the run, unable to live a life he deserves to have…” 

Tony moved to his side a bit. “Barnes killed my parents… I know it wasn’t him and he had no idea what he was doing… But it needs to be established first he wasn’t a willing participant. And the Winter Soldier programming needs to be eradicated or at least find a way to put it to sleep so any trigger words do not force him to become the soldier again.”   
Tony could feel his stress levels rising. 

“The Avengers are not what it used to be. How can it be when we have so few members left? Rogers, Romanoff, Wilson, Maximoff, Barton… all gone. I know I haven’t been on the team for over a year now… I wish we knew where Bruce was.” 

Pepper stopped stroking his hair. “Do you think we’ll ever find out?” 

Tony sighed. “I don’t know. Where ever Bruce went, he is untraceable. He could have left the planet…” Even though that idea did seem extreme, the idea of the Hulk leaving the planet wasn’t so extreme once you knew aliens did exist and already had Earth in its sights. He fell silent as Pepper continued to run her fingers through his hair. 

“I get the feeling you want to say something else?” mentioned Pepper. 

Tony sighed. “I thought I was part of a team… But Ultron happened and I realised I wasn’t. The team never cared about me. They didn’t consider my feelings nor saw me as a real person, just the man with the money who made them all sorts of nifty toys. Ever since Sokovia… I’ve been judged harshly, even though we did part on good terms. The real reason I left the team was because of Wanda.” 

“What did she do to you, Tony?” Pepper asked quietly. “I know you changed after Sokovia. It was all to do with her and you never said.” 

Tony nodded slowly. He closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure he was ready for this but he had to. Perhaps talking about it would finally help ease his conscience? Slowly, he began to speak: “She scares me… Her powers and what she can do. In Sokovia when we retrieved the sceptre from Hydra… Wanda was there. She approached me from behind… I never saw her but I know it was her because she did the same thing to the others a few days later. She…” he swallowed. “She mind-raped me. She caused the fears I struggled with after New York to spring back.” He looked at her then, his eyes searching his. “I saw death, Pepper. Everyone I cared about die… It was a wasteland. And above me was a portal and the alien armies were descending towards Earth. I was the only one who survived. I couldn’t do anything to stop it…”

Pepper resumed stroking his hair. His voice was getting tense and the sensation of her fingers in his hair calmed him.

“The Ultron project was abandoned by Bruce and myself months before Sokovia… I never intended on going back to it but Wanda’s mind-rape caused me to reconsider it and it gave me the idea the sceptre could bring it to life. If she hadn’t mind-raped me, Ultron would never have happened.” Tony paused. “At least I do not believe he would have been created.” 

Pepper believed him. “I’ve known you for years, Tony. You’ve never gone back to an idea before, not after you’ve discounted it. The other Avengers… they didn’t know you had been affected by Wanda?” 

Tony shook his head. “No. Only Nick Fury did. I didn’t want to admit what Wanda had done to me. And… she deserved a second chance.”

“After what she did? What she is responsible for?” queried Pepper.

“Yes.” Tony was adamant about that. “I know she hated me because of her parents. She was only a kid when they died. It was a fake Stark bomb, Pepper. One Stane had commissioned cheaply on the side and then sold as a genuine Stark weapon. My weapons, 99% of the time, worked. They never failed to explode. Wanda was a victim of Stane’s greediness and it is my fault for not noticing sooner and failing to take an interest in the company I ran! Stane only got away with the things he did because he knew I was more interested in gambling, sex, inventing and even more sex!”

“Tony.” Pepper gripped his shoulder. “It is not your fault. Stane groomed you. He fooled all of us for years. It is nothing to be ashamed of. You have made up for his mistake, for his arrogance. He tried to kill you and you came back from a place so very few people do. I should have been suspicious when he tried to legally declare you dead after three months. There had been no word of your whereabouts. I fought for you, Tony. You came back a few days after he had spoken to the board about declaring you dead. Everything that has happened to you has made you who you are today. You are a hero to so many people, no matter what your past entails. They see a different person to the one you used to be.”

Tony sighed. “Maybe. Wanda doesn’t, no matter what I have done to help her. I could have thrown her to the wolves. Pressed charges on her… Steve wanted to give her a second chance… She was obsessed with revenge, albeit on the wrong person but still… She still hates me though. She still blames me for the deaths of her parents even though I’ve told her I had nothing to do with it.”

Pepper stopped stroking his hair. “She’s an adult,” she said harshly. “She should realise the designer of the weapons has nothing to do with what happens to them after they’ve been built.” 

“She’s a kid according to Rogers, despite Wanda being in her twenties. Rogers never said anything when Wanda used to bring it up in passing. It was like… he agreed with it. Like I was responsible for her parent’s deaths. He blames me for Ultron to. It’s all Tony Stark’s fault…” Tony’s voice was quiet. “Wanda’s vision was the catalyst which made me return to the Ultron project. I can’t tell the others she had a hand in that… Not after they have all agreed to give her a second chance. They all forgave her for inciting visons on them… How can I not afford her the same luxury?”

Pepper was quiet as Tony fell silent. She resumed stroking his hair, running her fingers through the strands at the top of his head. “I do see what you mean. But Wanda’s tampering with your mind was done maliciously. She wanted to make you suffer. The others, she wanted to take out because you were attacking her and her brother. There is a difference, I believe, between her targeting you and what she intended to do. She could have easily killed you when you were under her thrall. You had no defence against her. She approached you to make you suffer… You didn’t even engage her in battle.” 

“No…” Tony admitted. He could understand Pepper’s viewpoint. Wanda had targeted him. He hadn’t even known she was there. He’d done nothing to her. It was only after the others had suffered the same type of vision that Tony had realised he had been meddled with as well. He hadn’t been able to admit it to the others either. He didn’t feel he could, not after they already blamed him for Ultron’s destructive path. “Wanda helped us when she didn’t have to.” 

“She only helped you because she realised Ultron intended to kill her as well,” said Pepper truthfully. “She didn’t fight for the Avengers. She fought for herself.” She twirled her fingers in his hair. “She blames you for her brother too, doesn’t she?” 

Tony nodded, only a little. 

“Pietro didn’t have to save Clint or the child he was protecting,” explained Pepper. She knew a lot of details about the battle of Sokovia since Tony had talked to her about it when he had returned home after it. “You had nothing to do with Pietro’s death. All of what happened is on Wanda. She may have deserved a second chance because she was led astray… but… she should have realised how culpable she was and how much guilt she should carry with her, instead of foisting it onto you. The world should know the truth, Tony.” 

He shook his head vigorously. “No.” It was something he wasn’t going to change his mind on. “The Avengers were Wanda’s second chance to make her a better person. I’m not taking it away from her. I could have dealt with the Accords differently. Wanda was on the fence about the Accords. I should never have left the Compound without talking to her first. Maybe if I had spoken to her then maybe she wouldn’t have joined Rogers. She took offense at being locked in her room.”

“She wasn’t locked. She had the run of the compound and the grounds!” exclaimed Pepper. “Is that what she said to you?” 

“Yes. During the airport fight. She never really gave me a chance to explain why she was under confinement. The civilians affected in Lagos and government officials were baying for her blood. She isn’t even an American citizen. The US government could have handed her over with ease and we wouldn’t have been able to stop it. I worked hard to ensure she could stay within the US while the investigation results were pending.” Tony felt angry. “And Rogers fucked it up as usual.” 

“I think Steve Rogers needs to have a history lesson.” 

Tony snorted. “He does. The world has changed since he was frozen in ice. His ideals do not fit into the world of today. I tried to save the Avengers. To survive as a group we need to adapt and listen to our critics otherwise we will fall apart.” 

“Tony… I do not believe things can go back to normal,” she said quietly. 

“I already know it, Pep, but we need them for what’s coming. I have so many fears of the future… I cannot defend the Earth alone…” Tony’s voice was soft, the fear evident in his voice. “I want to sit up.” 

Pepper lifted her hands from his head, allowing Tony to pull himself up with his hands. Tony leaned back against the sofa, turning his body so he faced Pepper. 

“The fears I have are more complicated than most people would believe.” 

Pepper shook her head. “You do not need to tell me. You’ve said a lot to me today.”

Tony swallowed. He could stop now but he was so close to letting Pepper know everything he had kept from her that he wanted to continue. The list he had made was nearly at its end. “No. I’d like to continue. I made a list of things I needed to talk to you about. My worries for the future are the last thing. I feel if I tell you now it would be better for me emotionally.” 

“Okay, then tell me,” she said. 

\- - - - -

Pepper listened as Tony spoke of his fears for the future. He feared he wasn’t good enough to protect the Earth from what was coming. He feared he would lose her if he continued on the path he was on. It was a destructive one, one that could easily kill him, yet Pepper could understand why he didn’t want to give it up. 

It wasn’t just the thrill of being a hero and inflating his ego; it was the ideals Tony now held. He was in a unique position to be able to help others and save the world from people who wished to harm it. The fact he was rich as well was a bonus. He had the contacts and the money to make more of an impact around the world.

But the one thing that struck her the most about Tony’s fears was not the one where he lost her, where she died because of his mistakes, but his own fear of not surviving to marry her. They were not engaged and only been back together for a few weeks and yet Tony still wanted her to be his wife. 

When she considered the prospect of being his wife, she liked the idea of it. She wanted to be Pepper Stark. He admitted he had wanted to propose to her for a long time but he had always chickened out, asking himself could he do that to her whilst he remained an Avenger? Could he really tie her down when his next mission could end his life and leave her a widow? 

Pepper reached across and placed a hand on his cheek. She looked at him, searching his eyes. “Tony, I love you. I may not like the idea of you putting yourself in danger but I know you do it for the right reasons. If you die I will mourn.” She learned forward and kissed him on the lips. “But I will move on because I know you would have wanted me to be happy. As long as you are here, Tony, alive and well, I want to be with you. You complete me in ways no one else has achieved.” 

“Pep… I’m not sure what I’d be without you…” murmured Tony. 

Pepper smiled, cupping his face in her hands. “Still a playboy, that’s for sure.” 

They kissed again, and then Pepper drew back.

“Are you okay?” he asked, concerned by the look on her face. 

She shook her head. “I think since you have been honest with me, it’s time I was as well, but there was another factor in me deciding to take a break from us…” 

“Oh.” Tony’s response was what she expected. 

“Extremis happened, Tony,” said Pepper. She swallowed. She had never told anyone this. “You fixed me, didn’t you?” 

He nodded. “Yes.” He still looked worried and concerned. 

“But you couldn’t remove it entirely. You said there would still be residual effects I may experience. But it would never cause me to overheat or explode…” Pepper said. “You managed to recode my cells to block it out, to keep it quiet within me.” 

“Where is this going?” He really did sound worried. 

Pepper bit her lip. “When Killian captured me I was afraid, so scared for what he was going to do me. When he showed me security videos of what happened to Extremis test subjects whose body didn’t accept it… God, it made me so sick and scared. Then he injected it into me. It was agony… I could feel my body getting hotter and hotter. I feared I would explode and he’d force you to watch it… See me die in a most horrific way. What he did to me is unforgiveable and I do not regret killing him. And you know I am not a violent person.” She shifted closer. “Killian wanted me as his bride, to be his Queen… But he also wanted revenge on you and I remember him coming to me, before he injected Extremis, that he partly wanted my body to reject it, so he could see your face when I died…” 

Tony’s face turned angry. He was about to make a retort when Pepper laid a finger on his lips, shaking her head, bidding him to let her continue to speak. 

“I was so scared when he injected me with Extremis. It hurt so much. I could feel my body ripping itself apart, trying to repair itself. My heart beat so fast in my chest I feared it would break free. I know what happened wasn’t your fault.” 

“Yes, it was,” replied Tony quietly. “I put you in danger by giving out my address. Daring the Mandarin to come for me. I thought he wouldn’t… Killian got his hands on you because of my stupidity.”

“I’m not going to lie and say it wasn’t a factor but Maya Hensen betrayed me to Killian. I left with her. If we had all stayed together… He would have found us. Killian wanted me, Tony, either way. He wanted you to suffer and he wanted you to lose me, whether it was to Extremis or to him,” explained Pepper quietly. 

“Aldrich Killian said I didn’t deserve you… He’s right,” admitted Tony quietly, lowering his gaze. A hand touched his cheek and he looked up into Pepper’s eyes. 

“You do deserve me, Tony. If I didn’t believe it myself, I wouldn’t be here,” she said quietly. “Extremis affected me in a lot of ways. I couldn’t deal with it properly. I know you fixed me but the worries are still there it could come back. Kill me. I was worried about hurting you accidentally. And then Ultron happened and we disconnected… Neither of us could talk to each other about our fears. I think we needed the time apart to help both of us…” 

“I didn’t handle it very well,” laughed Tony curtly. 

Pepper sought his gaze. “I did leave at the worst possible time. The Accords were coming through and you had a lot of work on your plate before even mooting them to the Avengers. We split at a time that wasn’t the best… But I think in the end it has helped both of us so much. Extremis scared me… I had to leave, to think about everything. Extremis still scares me because I still have it. But it could be a blessing in disguise.”

“What do you mean?” Tony sounded confused. 

She smiled, pressing her lips to his. “Consider this: if you are right and something worse is coming for Earth, if you can deactivate Extremis within me, you can reactivate it… and I can then defend myself with it. I won’t just be someone to protect, not when I have powers of my own that I could use to help others with. I may not like you putting yourself in danger, but I can accompany you. I don’t like the idea of having Extremis or knowing that I could use it but if I really needed to use it, despite my fears and worries of what it could do to me… I would. Especially if it saved your life.”

He wrapped her arms around her. 

“Extremis may just be a blessing in disguise,” she whispered in his ear. “No matter how much I hate having it.” 

Tony leaned into her, resting his head on her shoulder. “Thank you… for trusting me and being honest. I… no… we both needed it.”

“We did.” 

They hugged for quite some time before finally moving from the sofa to the bedroom where both had a good nights rest. 

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four more chapters still to go.... I hope to have this finished by Christmas... :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Pepper continue to move forward in their relationship...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note this chapter has some explicit situations in this one. My brain cannot seem to stop. I do apologise... I never intended, when I started this story, to include scenes of explicit sex... I can promise though, this chapter will be the last we see of it.

“Good morning,” said Pepper, as Tony opened his eyes the following morning. 

“Huh. Did we really just hug last night?” asked Tony. “You’re in my bed. Surely we did more than just hug?” 

Pepper laughed. “We did sleep, Tony…” 

“That doesn’t count,” he pouted but then he smiled and leaned in to kiss her. 

She could tell he was only joking. But she couldn’t deny that she did love sex with him. He certainly deserved the reputation he had in regards to his ability to satisfy women. Thankfully she had been the only woman on the receiving end of it for years now. “We had a tiring evening yesterday. We spoke about a lot of things, and lifted a few worries from our chests. I think a good night sleep was what we both needed. And… we can make up for what we missed last night, tonight.” 

Tony grinned. “So… what are your plans today then, Miss Potts?” 

“I know it is a Saturday but I do have a bit of work to do,” she said. “It will only take me an hour or so. Afterwards, I’m all yours.” 

“Good,” he smiled. “Is there a chance you may be able to take a holiday from SI for a week?”

“I could…” she answered. “Why?” 

“I’ve found a therapy thing I’d like to try out… But it might also help the both of us. I was going to go on my own but I thought you might like to come as well… especially after what you revealed to me last night about Extremis,” explained Tony. 

“I’m assuming this therapy is not in the United States?”

Tony shook his head. “India.” 

“India? You’re going to the gurus?” she asked. She had heard of new pioneering therapy treatment that had been shown to help treat severe cases of PTSD. It was meant to enable the sufferer to be at peace with themselves, physically and spiritually. “But you’ve never been religious…” 

“No… but I think it might help. I have PTSD, I know that. I never got myself treated because I was in denial about it,” admitted Tony, leaning back on the pillow. “I think we could both benefit from it… plus it is quite remote… We wouldn’t be hounded by the press…” He sounded hopeful. 

“Ok. I’ll look at my schedule. There might be a possibility to go soon. I’ll let you know… see if there is any leeway for me to duck out for a few days.” 

\- - - - -

Whilst Pepper did a bit of work for _Stark Industries_ , Tony decided to meet with Rhodey and Happy. He wanted to talk to them about Pepper and he hoped they could both keep a secret from her. He asked them to meet him in the old Avengers quarters of the compound where they would be in no danger to be found by Pepper if she came walking through.

Rhodey had used his wheelchair and Happy had travelled from New York to be here for this meeting. It was a bit of a journey for Happy to make but he was happy to do it.   
“What does Mr Stank want to talk to us about?” smirked Rhodey.

Tony rolled his eyes though he was smiling. “How often should I expect you to refer to me as Mr Stank?”

“Always.” 

“Thanks,” smiled Tony. He would always allow Rhodey this nickname. No one else though. “I’d like to talk to you two about Pepper.” He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly feeling nervous. “We are back together… Things are going well between us. We’ve cleared the air. Understand one another better now. There was one thing I had been long considering for a while before we split…” 

Rhodey seemed to catch on before Tony could even suggest it. “When?” 

Tony shrugged. “I don’t know. I cannot even think of the best time.” 

“When you feel it is right,” suggested Rhodey. 

Happy butted in, looking slightly confused. “What are you two talking about?” 

Rhodey smirked and turned to look at Happy. “Tony wants to propose to Pepper.” 

“What? Really? That’s great!” Happy looked positively delighted. 

“I just don’t know how to do it… or when.” He fiddled with something in his pocket. “It will be soon, I know that. We may have been back together for a few weeks but I know I want this.” He pulled out a box in his pocket and opened it, revealing a diamond ring with hints of red and gold embedded within it. “I made this for her before we broke up… I’ve kept it safe since…” 

“You made it?” Rhodey was impressed. “Trust you not to go the conventional route.” 

Tony shrugged. “I like to surprise.” 

Happy was smiling. “It’s perfect. Pepper will love it.” 

“I hope,” said Tony. “I can’t keep it on me anymore. I do not want to just leave it anywhere. And if I keep it, Pepper is bound to find it, especially when she is undressing me.” 

Rhodey blinked. “Information I did not want to know, Tones!” 

Tony grinned. “You’ve already caught us in the act several times!” Rhodey had been unfortunate enough to catch Tony and Pepper in some pretty awkward positions. 

“Doesn’t mean I wish to know more specific details!” retorted Rhodey. “But back to the point. Are you asking for one of us to look after the ring for you until you decide you want to propose?” 

Tony nodded. “Yeah.” 

“I’ll do it!” Happy was the first to volunteer. 

“He’s the better option,” added Rhodey. “I’d offer but if I’m exercising and I fall, the ring could fall out. I think you want us to keep it with us at all times… and Happy is far enough away from Pepper now; it would be easier for him to be the keeper. Your only problem, Tony, would be if you thought the time was right but Happy wasn’t there to give you the ring.” 

Tony nodded. “It’s going to be a problem but I do plan to let you know in advance.” 

Happy held out his hand. “You can rely on me, boss.” 

Tony handed the box over to Happy. “I could be calling on your at any minute.” 

“And I’ll get here as quickly as possible.” 

“Good.” 

\- - - - -

Happy returned to New York, taking the engagement ring with him, leaving Tony and Rhodey at the compound. Before he had left, he’d given Tony a further update on Peter Parker, explaining how the kid was constantly sending him messages about what he had done (and not done), and asking when their next mission would be. 

Tony hoped there wouldn’t be. He shouldn’t have bought Peter into the fight at the airport. Thinking on that, he still needed to tell Pepper about Peter. He would leave it for now.   
It was Saturday night and Tony decided to book a restaurant for a meal out. Though it was meant to be film night, they hadn’t gone ahead with their Friday night activity either because Tony had wanted to speak to Pepper instead. She was okay with the change, and Tony treated her to a French restaurant, renting out the top floor so they could remain undisturbed for the duration of the meal. 

They stayed for a few hours, slipping out the back way, leaving a big tip for the employees of the restaurant for respecting their privacy. Throughout the meal, Tony had teased Pepper mercilessly with his fingers underneath the table so that by the time they left, all Pepper wanted to do was have him then and there. But it wouldn’t look good if Iron Man was caught shagging his girlfriend in an alleyway just because she couldn’t wait until they got back to the compound, which was only fifteen minutes away. 

She managed to restrain herself long enough for Tony to drive them back to the Compound, though he did have a smirk on his face that suggested he knew full well what she was feeling like. As soon as they exited the car - parking in a private garage Tony had installed close to their private area -Tony’s hands were on hers and he was kissing her, as they walked clumsily towards the door.

As they entered their secured area of the compound, their hands running over their bodies, Pepper knew she couldn’t wait any longer. Tony’s tease in the car on the way home… 

No… She needed him. Now. 

He was trying to lead her to the bedroom, no doubt where he could tease her some more, but she was having none of it. 

She pulled back from the intensive kiss he was giving her, her hands moving from his neck, down to this trousers, unbuckling his belt, pulling the zipper down and putting her hands down his boxers to grasp his thick, hard cock. He whined as she stroked him, his eyes filled with desire. “I need you, now. Please. Against the wall. I don’t care. I just need you.” 

Tony didn’t answer; instead he acted, pushing her against the wall. He was too gone with desire. His hands moved around to the back of her skirt, unzipped it, letting it fall to the floor around her feet. Her hand was still on his cock, enticing him. His fingers slipped into her knickers, pressing between her legs, feeling the wetness and desire there. He ripped her knickers off and Pepper moved her hands from his cock to his neck again, as Tony pressed her back against the wall. 

Spreading her legs, he lifted her up, pressing her back against the wall, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist and then he was sliding into her with one smooth motion, pushing himself deep inside her. 

Pepper moaned. The feel of him stretching her caused intense pleasure to course through her body. He pulled out to the tip, and pushed back in. “Faster,” she whispered, moaning as he sped up his thrusts.

It was quick and fast but it was what Pepper wanted. They barely spoke, moaning with ecstasy. Tony lifted Pepper up higher, moving his hips, fast, in and out. Her chest was by his face and he took one breast into his mouth, sucking and licking the skin. 

That was motion enough for Pepper’s orgasm to course through her.

“TONY!” Pepper yelled, her body shuddering around him as she came. 

Then he too exploded inside her, holding her still as he allowed his seed to pour within her. “God, Pep… that was amazing…” He murmured into her chest. Gently he lowered her again until they were face to face. He was still pressing her against the wall, still sheathed inside her. “I love coming inside you… I don’t want to leave you…” 

Pepper pressed a tender kiss to his lips. “I can’t stay here against the wall all night…” she said. “But I do want to do this again… just not against the wall.” 

Slowly, reluctantly, Tony pulled out of her. 

Pepper moaned at the feel of him slipping out of her. Her eyes fluttered as he lowered her legs to the floor. She wasn’t sure she could stand but Tony supported her. 

Her knickers and skirt lay abandoned on the floor. Tony’s trousers and briefs were around his ankles. He pulled his own up, and retrieved Pepper’s own clothes. 

Taking her hand, he led her to their bedroom. 

\- - - - -

They had sex a further two times, one with Pepper beneath Tony as he slowly and passionately made love to her. She held him inside her as he came, refusing to let him leave until the last drop of his seed had been spilled. She wasn’t sated for her desire for him just yet though, and after they had rested for a bit, she started to stroke and suck his cock until he was hard again. His own fingers had made her wet between her legs, her folds soaking with desire. Then she had lead, climbing on top of him, slowing riding him, only to get faster and faster, until they had both burst together. 

They slept well, with Tony still partially in Pepper, his cock now mostly limp, but neither of them wanted to be separated. 

Pepper was only woken in the morning when Tony tried to pull out of her. “Do… you… have… to… leave me?” she asked, feeling sated and wonderful after the amount of sex they’d just had. Thank god she was on the contraception pill. The amount of times Tony had come inside her… Though thinking that first thing in the morning, with him having just pulled out of her, made her want him again. 

Slowly she sat up. “I think I’m going to take a shower.” 

As she walked to the en-suite, she could feel Tony’s eyes watching her. The thought of him watching her increased her desire. 

Closing the door behind her, she switched on the shower and stepped beneath it, letting the cool water hit her. Taking the sponge, she cleaned herself, and was about to switch the water off when another hand stopped her. 

Tony was there. 

She had left the door unlocked purposefully. He had got the message. 

His eyes were dark with desire and glancing down she saw he was ready for her. She stepped back, allowing him further into the shower. Shower sex wasn’t Tony’s favourite thing. After Afghanistan, he had been positively terrified of a shower, not wanting the droplets of water to course over his head. It reminded of him being water-boarded but when Pepper had learned of Tony’s fear soon after they had started dating, she had helped him come to terms with his torture and how a shower was different. 

It had taken time. 

Pepper had been patient, helping him have a shower, soothing him each time he stepped into one. His first shower experience he had only managed a few seconds before he had freaked out. But Tony had been adamant to cure himself of his fear and through help and determination, over the course of a year, Tony had slowly got used to showers, managing to disassociate them with his torture. 

One day, when Tony managed not to have a panic attack at all during his shower, he had pulled Pepper into the shower and made slow love to her, pressing her back against the wall. They had known then that his fear of showers had been cured… the terror he had once felt was gone. Though shower sex was still something they rarely did.

Pepper hadn’t wanted to inflict it upon him if he didn’t want it. If they were going to do it, he was the one who initiated it, apart from that one time just before the Killian events where Pepper had initiated it.

He leaned in and caught her lips in a passionate kiss, pressing her body against his, his hard cock resting against her abdomen. The water fell down around them. 

“I need you…” he murmured. 

Pepper nodded her consent as he lifted her up against the wall, slowly, torturously pushing himself inside her until he was fully sheathed. They kissed under the cool water, as Tony moved his hips slowly, thrusting in and out. 

Pepper didn’t move her hips, enjoying the sensations he was giving her with each slow, penetrating thrust, catching her at her sweet spot every time, causing reverberations to course through her body. 

Their hearts were beating in tandem as he sped up his thrusts as they both neared orgasm. 

“Tony… harder… faster…” Pepper moaned as steam rose around them. 

He quickened his pace and finally with one last thrust, Tony came, pouring himself inside her. Pepper cried out in ecstasy as her own orgasm washed through her. 

Tony lowered her legs to the floor, pulling out of her and then switched off the shower. “I think… I may…” he panted, “have….nullified your shower…” 

Pepper smiled contentedly where she leaned back against the wall. “It was worth it… Sex with you is always worth it. I love you, Tony. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. There is no question about it.” She kissed him on the lips as his arms wrapped around her, holding her close. 

They didn’t leave the bedroom for the rest of the day. 

\- - - - -

Since Pepper had admitted she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, Tony’s desire to propose had grown. He had wanted to ask her in the shower when she’d said that but he didn’t have the ring anymore. And it hadn’t felt like the right time, especially not after sex. 

As the days and weeks passed, Tony and Pepper tried to spend as much time together as possible though Tony’s attentions were taken up by the Damage Control company he had founded. There had been several attacks upon it by someone who stylised themselves as the Vulture and Tony had been tracking him to determine their purpose. They clearly had it in for Damage Control as they were stealing alien weaponry before they reached the secure zone. Tony was working directly with the FBI to counter the terrorist. 

But it still rattled he had been unable to determine the Vulture’s identity. 

It was during the days before Avengers Tower was sold and Happy was in New York, that Tony and Pepper jetted off to India. They’d been back together six weeks when they flew off. Tony had left Happy in charge of ensuring the selling of Avengers Tower and the moving of equipment to the new Avengers base upstate went ahead smoothly. Tony preferred being able to concentrate on his relationship with Pepper, and it helped both his friends were willing to help him out. 

Tony had booked a hotel in a more remote part of India, situated close where the more rural Indian villages were located. He’d even had his car flown over so he and Pepper could use it to get around easily. Despite the remoteness of the villages there were still able roads connected them to the bigger cities. 

The guru Tony had wanted to visit was not a well-known one, nor were they world renowned. Tony had only learned of their existence through Friday’s extensive research on the subject of Indian Gurus and how they could help those with mental health issues. Ashi Mohinder had been successful in her own community in helping those with issues to find an inner peace, whether it was through religion or faith in others. 

Ashi Mohinder had agreed to see them both separately and together. Tony, having been the one to learn of her, was the first to see her, staying with her for the better part of three hours, learning new ways to deal with his anxiety issues and his fear of the future.

If he felt an attack coming, Tony had to breathe slowly, deeply and keep his eyes closed and think of something that made him happy. In this case it would either be Pepper, Rhodey or Happy, the three most important people in his life. Pepper’s mere presence kept him calm and he felt more at peace with her around so it was understandable if he did have an attack, the thought of her would help him through it. But the same was true for Rhodey and Happy. The guru advised him that it depended on what he was having an attack about and which person would provide the most calming effect on him. The same advice was given to Pepper. 

The key as Ashi put it was to keep up the exercises every day. Start the day with breathing exercises and keep to a routine as much as possible (which was difficult in Tony’s case since he led such an erratic life style). They were both encouraged to consider everything they had lived through and how it had made them stronger people. 

They spent a lot of time alone together in India for the few days Pepper had managed to get off. A lot of the days were spent working through therapy and listening to Ashi’s advice on how to keep their minds calm. However Pepper did have to depart at the end of their fifth day there. 

“It’s a shame you have to go,” said Tony. The few days in India had done wonders on him. He looked younger, his facial features didn’t look strained and he seemed well rested. 

“I know. I’d rather stay with you but SI does need me,” she said, kissing him gently on the lips. “You’ll be home soon, won’t you?” 

He nodded. “Yeah. In about a week.” 

Tony had decided to stay to seek out other spiritual events across the country. He wanted to take full advantage of the culture while he was out here. Since it had already helped so much, he wanted to continue to build upon his experiences out here. 

“Be careful,” she whispered. “Come home soon.” 

“I will.” 

**To Be Continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The good news is Chapter 10 has already been written and will be posted later this week... depending on how much of Chapter 11 I have written... 
> 
> And regards to the ring... I do not believe Happy really had the engagement ring for years. Tony's WTF expression at the end of Homecoming just proves to me that Happy made that up as an attempt at humour but it didn't go down well.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony saves Peter... twice.

Tony was on his last day in India when he received a priority phone-call from Happy. He was in the middle of a festival celebrating something (honestly he hadn’t really understood the significance but he went along with it because there was free drinks). When he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket he hadn’t expected it to be Happy. He had instructed Friday to only route calls to him if they were from Pepper or were of the utmost emergency – unless they were from Ross. He could wait until Tony returned to the Compound. 

Answering the call, he prepared himself for the worst. “What is it Happy?” 

“It’s the kid. He’s done something stupid!” Happy said. “The tracker in the suit has gone haywire! And there have been reports of Spider-Man falling into people’s gardens or pools and wrecking their rooftops as he chases after some van with advanced alien tech in it! I’m not sure if the tech thing is true…” 

“Fuck…” Tony moaned. The kid had stumbled across some armed dealers who Tony had been trying to find for months, ever since they had started to personally mess with Damage Control and Stark Industries. “Where is he now?” 

“Still chasing the van…” answered Happy. “Friday has managed to hack into traffic cameras. I think he’s in big trouble, boss.” 

Tony ran a hand through his hair. _Don’t get stressed. Don’t get stressed._ He allowed the mantra to pass through his mind several times before he felt a sense of calmness settle in. He had to be calm if he was going to deal with this situation. “Okay. I’ll activate the suit remotely from here. Just keep an eye on him before I get there.”  
He ended the call and quickly pulled out an ear-piece from his pocket, pressing a button on the side. There was a confirming bleep indicating a suitable wi-fi network had been found. Using his phone, Tony quickly logged into his secure server, activating his newest suit, MARK XLVII, the forty-seventh design. 

“Friday, are you there?” he asked. 

_“I am, boss.”_

“Good. Pilot the suit to Peter’s location,” instructed Tony. He couldn’t pilot the suit himself but he was able to give it actions when it wasn’t in flight. Friday was capable of some degree of control of the suit but not much. Unlike JARVIS who had been able to control the suits if he needed to… Friday was still a young AI who didn’t have enough experience to be able to take on the responsibilities of piloting a suit properly just yet. She just had basic controls.

He waited while the suit took flight. He knew what would happen next would look silly to the people around him but at the moment he didn’t care. Peter’s life was more important. If he was going to ruin his reputation by going after people he wasn’t ready for… He swallowed. So much could potentially happen. 

_“I have him in sight, Boss. He has fallen into the river, entangled in the parachute.”_

Tony groaned. Now the kid was drowning. This wasn’t his day at all. 

“Get him out of there!” 

_“Sure thing!”_

Tony waited for confirmation to come through from his AI that Peter was safe. When Friday confirmed she had rescued Peter, Tony directed the suit to the nearest park. Since it was late at night, it was unlikely to be populated. He and Peter could have a nice chat. The last thing he needed was for the kid to be killed when Tony was responsible for him. Granted, he had got him involved when he probably shouldn’t have, but Peter had powers that were worthy to be trained. He would make an Avenger one day. This was all part of his training. 

The kid woke up mid-flight and Tony instructed Friday to deposit the kid on the top of the monkey bars. He activated the remote camera hidden in his glasses, allowing him to see Peter sitting on the apparatus. Almost immediately, Peter began to wring out his facial mask, trying to get himself dry, moaning about the villains he had attempted to apprehend. 

“And then he just like, swooped down like a monster… and picked me up, and took me up like a thousand feet and just dropped me.” Peter glanced up at the suit floating in mid-air. “How did you find me? 

Tony didn’t answer, already knowing the kid would work it out. 

“Did you put a tracker in my suit?” 

Good thing he had done or Peter would have drowned. “I put everything in your suit.” He held out a hand, which the suit mimicked. “I put everything in your suit. Including this heater. _Friday activate heater in Suit Spidey One._ ” 

Instantly heat spread out from the cotton of Peter’s suit. He was impressed by it. “That’s better. Thanks.” 

But Tony was not here for playful banter. He was angry Peter had got involved in things beyond his capabilities. “What were you thinking? 

Peter took on the defensive straight away. “The guy with the wings is the source of the weapons. I gotta take him down!” 

Tony knew he had some fault in this. He had been trying his hardest to deal with the winged guy on the sly but he was quite a slippery fellow, succeeding in escaping each time the net had been closing around him. Whether it was luck or Tony’s ability to plan ahead had finally run out…. He didn’t know. “Take him down now, huh?” He did want to sigh. “There are people who handle this sort of thing.” 

“The Avengers?” Peter was hopeful. 

Tony shook his head. “No. This is a little below their pay grade.”

“Mr Stark, you didn’t have to come out here. I had that. I was fine.” The kid sounded so sure of himself.

It was heart breaking for Tony to hear that. _You nearly died, kid. How am I supposed to live with that if you die? It will be my fault for giving you a responsibility you shouldn’t have had._ He didn’t say anything like that though. This was a one-time offence. He could be light on Peter and hopefully the kid would learn not to interfere in things that were not his responsibility. “Oh, I’m not here.” 

He activated the suit’s faceplate to move up which showed Peter the suit was empty. 

Tony’s arms were down by his front, as he looked around his surroundings at the Indians who were laughing and joking and drinking. “Thank god this place has Wi-Fi… or you would be toast right now.” He held up a glass of wine. “Thank Ganesh while you’re at it. Cheers.” The cheers part was more directed at the people walking past him than at Peter. Then he decided to impart some wisdom to Peter, hoping the kid would take it without questioning him on it. “Look, forget the flying vulture guy, please.” 

“Why?” Peter was clearly adamant to continue his involvement. 

_Please don’t let me become the angry dad, kid._ “Why? Because I said so!” His voice had risen and a few people around him stopped and looked at him curiously. He waved them off sheepishly. “Sorry, I’m talking to a teenager. Stay close to the ground. Build up your game helping little people, like that lady that bought you the churro. Can’t you just be a friendly… neighbourhood Spider-Man?”

“But I’m ready for more than that now!” insisted Peter. 

“No, you’re not.” Because the kid wasn’t. He started to move towards his bright yellow sports car. 

“That’s not what you thought when I took on Captain America!” the kid retorted angrily. 

Tony sighed. “Trust me, kid, if Cap wanted to lay you out, he would’ve.” Memories of Siberia sprung to the forefront. Tony resisted the urge to shudder. He could have been killed there. Though the nightmares he had once had about it had ceased, it was still a worry that the next time they met, Cap would try to kill him. “Listen to me. If you come across these weapons again, call Happy.” He turned the ignition on the car, the sound of the engine revering up carried across his audio ear-piece and into the range of Peter’s hearing. 

“Are you driving?” 

Tony ignored him. “You know, it’s never too early to start thinking about college.” Peter should be thinking more about his future. He was a smart kid that could have a bright future at Stark Industries if he applied himself to his current studies instead of involving himself in things that did not concern him. “I got some pull at MIT. End call.” 

The connection went dead and Tony drove off, hoping Peter had got the message he had been trying to impart, though he wasn’t sure if he had come across that well. 

\- - - - -

Tony returned to the Compound the following evening where he caught up on his messages and found Ross had been trying to get in touch with him again. He just kept putting him on hold. 

Happy gave him a list of updates on Peter, including all the numerous text messages and answering machine messages he had left. Tony’s former chauffeur was getting fed up of his constant communication though he never replied. Tony almost felt sorry for him. Peter was keen but there was a point where you could become too keen and that would then interfere with Peter’s academic potential.

Tony became more involved with Stark Industries, spending more time at the site in Malibu and staying at Pepper’s apartment during the week then working in his lab at the Compound. Pepper had informed him she was planning on moving her SI office to New York so she and Tony could spend more time together. It was just a matter for the board to decide if it was feasible to allow her to do so. She had put in place a business plan and she intended to commute to Malibu for at least two days a week, to ensure she kept a foot in with the general workforce of the company. 

When Tony could, if the plan was approved, he would accompany her on these two days. 

The days did seem to fly by quickly and Tony worked on various projects. He was continuing to develop his B.A.R.F technology and he hoped to be able to fix it that it wouldn’t give one migraines. Now that this therapy had started and finished, and he was employing the practices he had learned with the Guru, he was able to watch his last memories of his parents before they had left for that fateful trip. It didn’t upset him and he was able to finally process his grief over their deaths. 

He still intended to use B.A.R.F to help James Barnes but he couldn’t just yet. He still needed to find a way in which it might be able to help supress the triggers used on the Winter Soldier to turn him into a mindless killing machine. 

Still, he was making progress and his relationship with Pepper was getting stronger every day. Happy still kept the ring safe, but Tony knew the day was coming he would get down on one knee and propose to Pepper. 

Their sex life was better than ever too. In the months that had been leading up to their split, it hadn’t been as often as their lives took different directions. But now they were spending more and more time together, making more of an effort to be with one another and keep in contact, their sex life had certainly been quite spicy. 

Of course, it hadn’t helped, when Pepper had been using the gym, Tony had entered to find her in the tank top and shorts that had instantly turned him on. Poor Rhodey had been scarred by that particular incident, leading Rhodey to request Pepper and Tony keep it to their private quarters which was understandable. 

It hadn’t helped after being discovered in the gym, Tony and Pepper’s desire for one another grew and they ended up spending the rest of the day in their quarters having sex.  
It was here, laying naked in bed after Pepper had ridden him slowly and squeezed him until all his seed had spilled into her, that she finally asked him a question he had been dreading would come up. They’d never spoken of it before. 

“Tony… do you want children?” she asked carefully. 

Tony swallowed. He wasn’t sure what to say. His silence spoke volumes but he tried to answer, to give her some consolation. “I don’t think I’d be good dad material…” 

“Is this about Howard?” asked Pepper. 

Partially it was. “He wasn’t a very good father… How can I be one when I never had a good role model growing up?” 

“Because you will learn from his mistakes,” she answered. “You know not to discourage a child or to criticise their achievements when you think they should have done better. Also,” she turned his head to face her, “you have me. And if there is one thing I have been good at is advice. Advice which you can be good at following.” 

Tony still wasn’t sure. But he hadn’t ruled children out completely. “That is true… Do you want children?” He knew the answer already. 

“I do,” answered Pepper. “Our lives may be busy but I still want a child of my own. I want a baby with your hair and your smarts and your eyes… And I’d like a baby with my hair and your eyes and… I just want a baby with you. I wanted to ask…just to see what your thoughts were. We have sex frequently. I’m on the pill but you never use a condom and I don’t mind that because I love it when you come inside me. But lately… the amount of sex we are having… and, don’t get me wrong, I love it…” 

Tony smirked. “You know… you’re the first person I’ve slept with who doesn’t mind me not using protection.” 

“I’m surprised your many conquests actually wanted you to be protected, considering the amount of money they could get from you if they had a little accident which produced a little Stark baby…” grinned Pepper.

“I always insisted actually. I may have been obsessed with sex, it doesn’t mean I was irresponsible about it…” retorted Tony. 

“You may have been obsessed with sex, Mr Stark?” Pepper raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Okay… I could still be then…” It was true. Pepper was irresistible to him. “I think the same applies to you, considering how often you want me to have you against the wall because you can no longer wait… Miss Potts…” His voice turned husky as he leaned in to kiss her. 

Pepper giggled. “Fair point, Mr Stark.” 

“So, children,” started Tony. “I haven’t completely ruled them out. I think it is still a possibility.” 

“Good,” smiled Pepper.

\- - - - -

He learned from the news bulletin a few days later that Spider-Man had gone to Washington D.C and scaled the monument to rescue a party of school teenagers from a collapsing elevator shaft. Tony had watched the footage back, feeling quite impressed with Peter’s attempt to save his classmates. Though it had been a more public outing than Tony would have liked, he still felt pleased Peter had managed to act on his own and save them. 

The casualties would have been catastrophic otherwise. 

Still, it was the afternoon and Tony was on his way to Avengers Tower to find out how Happy’s progress was going along with moving day fast approaching. He was also coming to personally collect the Mark XLVII as he’d rather fly it to the Compound than have it taken by jet a few days later.

He felt he should congratulate Peter on his successful mission in Washington. He was close to Avengers Tower but he had time to call the kid.  
He dialled the number on his vid-phone and waited for Peter to pick up. 

“Mr Parker. Got a sec?” 

“I’m actually at school.” It was a hurried response. 

Tony knew that was a lie. “No, you’re not.” He leaned back in the seat of the back of the car. “Nice work in D.C.” 

“Okay,” answered Peter. 

Tony was on a roll now. Peter was his first chance to be a dad, see how his parenting skills were. “My dad never really gave me a lot of support…. And I’m trying to break the cycle of shame…”

Peter butted in before Tony could continue. “I’m in the middle of something.” 

“Don’t cut me off when I’m complimenting you. Anyway, great things are about to-” He paused as he heard a loud honking noise over the background. His suspicions rose. “What is that?” 

“I’m at band practice.” 

Tony’s instincts flared. Something was really wrong. “That’s odd. Happy told me you quit band six weeks ago. What’s up?” 

But Peter ended the call. “I gotta go. End call.” 

“Hey-! Fuck!” Tony had a really bad feeling brewing in the pit of his stomach. And that was when he realised. He’d heard from his sources the Staten Island Ferry was a prime candidate for an upcoming weapons deal of the Vulture and his crew. He had contacted the FBI… What if Peter had learned of it? And had gone to try and stop it himself? “Oh fuck.”

Thankfully the car had stopped outside Avengers Tower now and Tony bolted out the door and into the tower. “FRIDAY! GET THE SUIT READY!” The ride to the top of the tower where Happy was supervising the cataloguing of various items took longer than Tony wanted. By the time he stepped out onto the top floor and rushed towards the hidden wall panel where he kept the latest version of his suit, it felt like ten minutes had passed, though in reality had only been a minute. 

He rushed past Happy and his co-workers without explanation, punching in commands to his wrist watch as he went by. The wall slid open, revealing his suit. It sprung open and Tony leapt inside, letting the suit close around him, before activating his thrusters and flying away out through the window that Friday had opened. 

He set a course for the Staten Ferry, coursing through the sky at his fastest speed possible. He flew over Manhattan. An alert appeared on his HUD of a breaking news story of ‘terror on the Ferry’. Tony pushed the suit faster. He had already contacted Veronica up in orbit to bring down the magna clamps. 

As he flew over the sea he could see the Ferry breaking apart, and hanging in the middle of the two halves was Peter, desperately using his webbing to keep the Ferry from falling apart. 

_Shit._

Tony sped up, heading straight for the port side of the ferry, engaging his own clamps in his palms and attaching himself to the side. He put all his power into his thrusters and the ferry slowly started to move back together, though the magna clamps would do the rest. He was in a position that he could peer through one of the windows of the Ferry and look straight at Peter.

“Hey Spider-Man. Band practice, was it?”

The kid knew he was in trouble. 

Tony flew off as he heard cheers erupt from the terrified public. He flew to the car storage, firing up his uni-beam, altering the frequency to help meld metal back together. Then Peter was there, following him, using his webbing to keep up with him as Tony went through the whole ferry, gluing it back together. The ship would never work again as the damage was too much, but Tony had prevented it from sinking. 

“Mr Stark? Hey Mr Stark!”

Tony ignored him. He was far too angry with the kid to talk to him. Just when he was congratulating the kid too…. He had to get himself involved in this… Again. 

“Could I do anything?” Peter swung beside him. “What do you want me to do?” 

Finally Tony turned to face him. If Peter could see his face now, he knew Peter would be frightened. “I think you’ve done enough,” he said coldly, before he flew off away, content that he had done what he could to save the Ferry and its passengers. 

\- - - - -

Tony waited in the air while the authorities began to converge upon the Ferry. He even briefly landed on the Ferry to talk to the FBI co-ordinator to personally apologise for the botch attempt of apprehending the culprits. After he had ensured there hadn’t been any injuries, Tony returned to the suit and flew away, homing on Peter’s figure in the distance. The kid seemed to have managed to get rid of his tracking device, something which Friday had informed him about only moments ago. It was just another thing Peter had done which made Tony feel upset and angry. 

He flew to the top of a building where Peter was sitting on the edge of the wall, looking over in the distance of the Ferry. 

“Previously on Peter Screws the Pooch… I tell you to stay away from this. Instead, you hacked a multimillion-dollar suit so you could sneak around behind my back, doing the one thing I told you not to do.” He was still hovering in the air. He didn’t know what he would do if he forced himself to land. 

“Is everyone okay?”

Tony rolled his eyes. They would have been fine if Peter had left things well alone and allowed Tony to sort things out. He’d contacted the FBI after all. They were the people who were needed in this type of situation, not superheroes. “No thanks to you.”

“No thanks to me?” Peter turned to face him, getting up from his perch and walking towards him. It was clear he had been crying as his eyes were wet from moisture. “Those weapons were out there, and I tried to tell you about it but you didn’t listen! None of this would’ve happened if you had just listened to me!”

_If you had listened to me kid…_ Tony seethed as he floated closer to the walkway. 

“If you even cared, you’d actually be here!” Peter accused. 

Tony released the hatches, stunning Peter by his physical presence in the suit. He stepped out and walked towards the kid as he continued to step back, suddenly wary of Tony’s presence. “I did listen, kid. Who do you think called the FBI, huh? Do you know I was the only one who believed in you? Everyone else said I was crazy to recruit a fourteen year old kid.” _Nat, Happy and Rhodey all said it. ___

__“I’m fifteen,” defended Peter._ _

__Tony stepped forward again, bringing his fingers up in a closing sign. “No, this is where you zip it, all right? The adult is talking. What if something had died tonight? Different story, right? Because that;s on you. And if you died… ” He held his hands out. “I feel like that’s on me. I don’t need that on my conscience.”_ _

__Peter looked scared now. “Yes, sir.” He lowered his head in shame. “I’m sorry. I understand.”_ _

__But Peter had, had enough chances. Tony had warned him and the kid had not listened. “Sorry doesn’t cut it.”_ _

__Peter looked up beseechingly. “I just wanted to be like you.” He hero-worshipped Tony and that the hard part for Tony. To live up to the name Peter had made for Tony._ _

__But Tony hadn’t wanted Peter to be like himself. “And I wanted you to be better.” Tony fiddled with his watch. He knew what he had to do. “It’s not working out. I’m gonna need the suit back.”_ _

__Peter’s eyes widened. “For how long?”_ _

__Tony felt harsh right now. “Forever. Yeah, that’s how it works,” he added when he saw Peter’s stunned expression. He didn’t have sympathy right now, not after the mess Peter had made of the FBI’s attempts to bring the Vulture’s crew to justice._ _

__“No… no! Please!” Peter begged him._ _

__Tony was adamant. “Let’s have it.”_ _

__“Please, this is all I have! I’m nothing without this suit!”_ _

__Tony could understand the feeling. He had once thought the same during his early years as Iron Man. Then the Mandarin had happened and he had realised he was more than just the suit. He had learned a cruel lesson and become a better person because of it. Peter had to learn that lesson too. “If you’re nothing without this suit, then you shouldn’t have it. Okay?” It struck him then who he sounded like and he hated himself for it. “God, I sound like my dad.”_ _

__“I don’t have any other clothes,” mumbled Peter._ _

__Tony felt some sympathy at last. “Okay. We’ll sort that out.”_ _

__Peter couldn’t look him in the eye. The kid knew how much he had disappointed Tony._ _

__After ensuring Peter had clothes to wear on the way home, Tony took flight in his suit and headed back to Avengers Tower._ _

__One thing kept his mind occupied through the short flight through Manhattan skies. _Why do I feel so guilty?__ _

__It was a feeling which would not go away so easily._ _

__**To be continued....** _ _

__**Two more chapters to go... I have also posted a new story entitled 'Fateful Choices'. It's a dark fic which branches off from the end of the first Avengers film. Please give it a go! ******_ _


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony deals with his guilt over taking the suit from Peter.

Tony felt awful. Why did he do this to himself? The kid had done something stupid. He’d warned him not to interfere but because it hadn’t looked like Tony was doing anything, Peter had decided to interfere, believing it was his job to do so.

Peter had shown he couldn’t be trusted. He’d broken Tony’s faith in him and it was difficult for Tony to keep on trusting people he felt betrayed by. 

Walking to the fridge, Tony pulled out a bottle of vodka. He wanted to drink. Preferably get drunk and lay in his misery. 

“Tony?”

He whirled, so lost in his thoughts he hadn’t noticed Pepper standing there, looking concerned as he held the vodka bottle in his hand. “Pepper?”

“You rarely drink now,” she noted carefully. “Something has happened which has upset you.” She had always been good at deducing things.

“Yes…” Tony sighed. He would have to tell her. “You saw the news right?” 

The ferry incident was headline news, highlighting Tony’s role in saving the passengers and how Spider-Man had tried, only to ultimately fail in his endeavours. 

“I did. You were at the sinking ferry today with Spider-Man,” she answered. 

“I was.” 

“Was it Accords approved?” she questioned.

“No, it wasn’t.” Tony had already spoken to the Accords committee. “The Accords still allow us to intervene when we believe it is necessary too. That’s what Rogers failed to understand. It wasn’t tying our hands. We could still help just as long as we agree to be answerable to a committee. If there is a situation ongoing which involves the imminent death of people then the Avengers can intervene. The ferry was sinking. It classes as an emergency case. It’s when missions are planned in advance the Accords request the final say so on whether they go forward or not. Emergency missions do not need to be ratified. I knew I could help.” He ran a hand down his face as he walked towards the sofa, towards Pepper who had seated herself down on the edge of it, watching him as he slowly positioned himself beside her. 

“What are you keeping from me?” 

“You’ll hate me,” said Tony. 

“Tony… Please?” 

“How much do you know about Spider-Man?” he asked. 

“Not much, only there is a vigilante in Queens with the identity of Spider-Man going around and stopping minor crimes. He has become a sort of a local hero to the community there,” she answered. “And that he was present at the airport battle between the two fractions of the Avengers.” 

Tony swallowed. “I know who he is. I recruited him. Before I tell you this, you have to promise me you will not tell anyone of his identity.”

“I promise I won’t,” replied Pepper. 

“He is Peter Parker, lives in Queens and he is fifteen and –”

Pepper’s eyes widened and her face turned stormy. 

_Shit._

“TONY! ARE YOU CRAZY?” she yelled. “Fifteen? He’s fifteen years old? And you took him halfway across the world? Did his parents know? What the hell were you thinking?” 

“I wasn’t thinking,” admitted Tony quietly. He hated it when Pepper yelled at him. Still, he wasn’t going to argue back because he was in the wrong. He’d included a minor without permission on a mission that had, had the potential to go really wrong. “Rogers had over half of the Avengers on his side and I had Vision and Rhodey and Nat… We had T’Challa at first but I needed backup. I’d seen the kid on YouTube and I knew he had abilities that were not normal. I tracked him down and watched him from affair. I was going to wait until he was sixteen to approach him but Rogers pushed my hand. The kid has far too many useful abilities to wait to extend an invitation to him when he is of age. I wouldn’t have gone to him if the Accords situation hadn’t escalated! Pep… I didn’t have a choice! I needed backup otherwise Steve and his band of merry criminals would have got away with more damage! I could have gone about it differently… And I’m sorry for being an idiot who didn’t use his head.”

“Please tell me his parents know,” urged Pepper. 

Tony’s facial expression was the answer. He shook his head. “Peter’s parents are dead. He lives with his Aunt. He asked me not to tell her so I didn’t. Pep… I couldn’t. It’s his choice.”

“But you are supposed to be a responsible adult, Tony!” responded Pepper. “You put a teenager in harm’s way! And because of the airport fight, he’s become braver and taking on bigger targets which are way out of his ability to handle!” 

“I know what I’m going to say will not justify my actions. Peter had powers which I thought would come in useful in capturing Rogers and the others. Peter was an unknown quantity only I knew about. He was a secret weapon I could have used against them. Look, I’ve tried to keep him at arm’s length since then and I know the airport has made him believe he is ready for bigger things which is why I’ve kept my distance. Happy is keeping an eye on him for me but you know what? I listen to each message and read every text Peter sends Happy. He is so eager for the next mission that I worry he will do something stupid.” Tony glanced away. “And now he has… with the ferry incident. It would have been so much worse if I hadn’t come along when I did.” 

Pepper stayed silent watching him as Tony continued to think about what he was going to say next. 

“The worst part of all is I tried to tell him I was doing something about it but he didn’t listen. I should have been a better mentor to him… Or just not get him involved at all. Eventually he was going to end up on Ross’s radar. That would have been worse. I’ve managed to protect him from Ross because he is under my jurisdiction. He’s not a world-saving hero like me. Peter isn’t obliged to sign the Accords, unless he becomes an Avenger. He wants to be one and I’m trying to protect him from it. If he signs its likely he will have to forgo his secret identity though there is a clause within it the public does not need to know who he really is. The Accords Councillors have to know however.” Tony sighed. He had made a mistake. “Pep… I screwed up. I made him a super suit. One that he then hacked and managed to access all the programs I had built into it. I was only going to unlock them when he was older…” 

Pepper spoke quietly. “You shouldn’t have designed him a suit. Doing it, Tony, stopped him from ever seeing past becoming an Avenger. He wanted to prove his worth to you. Because you left him to Happy, Peter became more desperate to prove himself and the only way he could achieve it, is by taking on bigger targets.” 

“But he also believed I wasn’t doing anything about this Vulture guy. I was. I’ve been liaising with the FBI for months. When we heard there was going to be an arms deal on the Staten Island Ferry, it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to catch the Vulture, but it wasn’t an operation that required a superhero to attend. This is standard FBI work.” Tony closed his eyes. “This whole thing is a mess. I took his suit from him. I feel terrible about it.” 

Pepper leaned forward now, her face softer. “You did the right thing. It probably will not prevent Peter from going after them again however.” 

“I’m still keeping an eye on him.” 

“I’m still mad at you. You put a child in harm’s way.”

“This is why I wouldn’t be a good dad,” mooted Tony. “I cannot even make the right decisions for Peter.”

Pepper shook her head. “I think when it is your own kid you will do anything to protect them. You’d be the overprotective father. And I’d be asking you to let them out.” 

“Any child of mine would be in danger because of what I’ve done. They’d have to be protected. They cannot have a normal life, Pep… I couldn’t and my dad never reached the popular heights I have!” Tony sighed. His whole life had been screwed up. He had no idea how to be a father because his own dad had been useless at the job. 

"You had to have had a father figure growing up to help you, didn’t you?" Peppers eyes still appeared angry but understanding was seeping in too. 

"I guess I had the original Jarvis but he was my butler and there had been an element of professionalism and distance there because of that. I want to be warm to my child if I ever have one like Jarvis had been to me but I also want to be their friend and joke with them. I just-" Tony dug his face into his hands. "I don't know how to do it." 

Pepper kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I'll be there to help you." He peered up at her hopefully. Her tone became firm. "Don't get me wrong I'm still mad at what you did but with me by your side I'll stop you from slipping up.” She leaned back, urging him to look at her straight in the eyes which he did. “But Tony… You are not your father. You are better than him. Peter is a learning curve for you. Lessons you will learn and then take away with. Raising a child is the most difficult thing in the world. But I know you would be a good dad. Your actions with Peter were wrong. You should have got his Aunt’s permission, irrespective of Peter’s wishes. He knows she would say no. But he wants to carry on. Sometimes you have to hurt them to keep them safe. Peter helped you when you needed it but now because an Avenger was interested in his work and abilities, he feels he can be one too. You made a mistake and now you are paying for it.” Pepper leaned into him. “I can understand why you went to him. Both of you will have learned a hard lesson about this. Hopefully Peter will realise he needs to stay away from bigger issues that are out of his control, allowing you and the FBI to continue hunting for this Vulture guy.” 

Tony nodded. “I hope so… but my gut feeling says he won’t. Moving day is not far away… I just feel something is gonna happen.” 

He wasn’t wrong.

\- - - - -

Pepper was still cool with Tony for a few days but the ice did dissolve and they soon returned to their usual interaction, though Tony’s anxiety had come back as moving day came closer. Pepper had suggested if he was concerned, then perhaps he should oversee the flight of the plane himself, or even be on board in case something happened, however despite Tony making plans to do so, he learned he was needed for a conference call with the Accords committee at the time of the flight. He could push the flight back but in the end he decided not to. 

He was sure his anxiety was going into overdrive because of Peter. Nothing would happen. 

Right?

\- - - - -

Pepper was back in Malibu when she received a text from Tony stating: “We need to talk.” She had an ominous feeling about it but dialled his number and Tony immediately picked up. “Tony?”

“The plane’s destroyed. And so is a lot of Avenger equipment.” Tony didn’t even beat around the bush. 

“Oh.” Pepper felt shocked at the revelation. 

“I could have been there if the Accords Committee hadn’t needed me on a call. It was bad timing on their part!” Tony was angry and she could hear it in his voice. 

“Tony… calm down,” she urged him. “Tell me what happened.”

“Adrian Toomes,” stated Tony, his voice still harsh but he did sound calmer. “He’s the Vulture guy. He attacked the plane after it launched. Once it went invisible he managed to change the course correction so we wouldn’t know where it went. He was going to take all the stuff I had designed. Peter stopped him. In his home-made suit no less…” 

“The kid did what?” Pepper gasped. “Was he hurt?” 

“I don’t know! I’m on the scene right now… The kid left a note for Happy to find. He’s not here! He caught Toomes. Though the plane still crashed and ruined a ton of equipment. Some did survive. The Arc Reactors did… well… some of them. God, this is a fucking mess! I’ll call later. Thought you might want to know you may have to field questions…” 

Pepper sighed. “Okay. Thanks Tony.” 

He ended the phone call. Pepper switched her web browser to national news and saw a live shot of the burning plane, just outside a fairground on the edges of Manhattan. The plane hadn’t even gained high altitude before it had been hijacked. 

Pepper opened up a small laptop, keeping her main computer on the live stream while she typed out a statement to the attack. 

\- - - - -

Tony returned to Avengers Tower with Happy. Though the building was now empty and the sale was about to go through, he could still be on site until it was no longer in his name. As soon as they walked through the doors, Happy stopped walking and turned around to face Tony. 

“I messed up, Boss. I don’t deserve this job in Asset Management. I should have been more efficient… Should have carried out more checks… I shouldn’t have blindly assumed everything would go fine once the plane took off. I should have kept track of it… I’ll put in my resignation first thing tomorrow.” 

Tony blinked, surprised. “No, you won’t.” He folded his arms across his chest. 

“But I’m fired.” Happy was quite insistent he was going to lose his job. 

“Look, I’m not happy with what happened, but you did carry out all the checks. You made sure everything was secure. You had nothing to do with Toomes hijacking the plane. He was gonna do it anyway. The kid interfering when he did has prevented you from losing your job because losing all that equipment to a maniac like him would have been a disaster. Thankfully some of it is salvageable. The kid has saved your job. If you try to hand me your resignation, neither Pepper or I will accept it. So, you’re not fired. Happy?” 

“I’m not fired…?” Happy asked slowly. 

“Exactly.” Tony smiled. “But you can do something for me.” 

“Anything.” Happy was eager to do anything that would constitute proper forgiveness for being lax on the moving day fiasco. 

“Go to the kid’s school. Tell him I want to see him upstate. I’m going to extend him Avengers membership. Pepper is wary of this but after what the kid has done… she has agreed it might be more in the kid’s interest if he is. He’ll say no. I’m sure he will not accept even though it is what he wants,” explained Tony. He didn’t know why but he felt sure it was what the kid would do. “Bring him to the compound. And we’ll go from there.” 

“I can do that, boss. Anything.” 

“Thanks.” Tony started to walk away but turned back towards Happy. “And bring the ring with you!” 

Happy’s eyes widened. “Are you…?” 

Tony didn’t answer, just smiled and walked away. He had to prepare himself for the upcoming press conference. Oh, Pepper wouldn’t know what hit her when he got down on one knee in front of everyone. 

_Oh god, she better say yes._

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go!!! Which will be posted later this week :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony proposes to Pepper...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter to Reunion!

As the head of the Avengers, Tony had decided to call a Press conference to introduce Spider-Man as the newest member. The media had no idea what they had been called to the compound for and Pepper had believed Tony’s story of offering Peter a place in the Avengers and wanting to introduce him to the world (without revealing his identity). However, Tony felt certain the kid would turn him down. 

He watched as Happy led Peter into the Compound, having driven him from down the state so Tony could talk to him. Dressed smartly in a suit, with a handkerchief hanging out the pocket, Tony was ready for his big appearance in front of the press. Pepper had arrived earlier that morning and had quickly got herself busy in organising the press room for the upcoming announcement and was now busy with the reporters who had gathered. 

Tony started to stroll towards Peter and Happy. “Oh, there they are. How was the ride up?” He directed the question at Happy. 

“Good.” 

“Give me a minute with the kid.”

“Seriously?” 

“Yeah. I gotta talk to the kid,” confirmed Tony. 

Happy eyed him. “I’ll be close behind.” 

“How about a loose follow?” Tony compromised, enjoying the banter between himself and Happy. 

Happy relented. “All right? Boundaries are good.” 

Tony placed his arms around Peter’s shoulders, leading him towards the conference suite. “Sorry I took your suit. You had it coming. Actually, it turns out it was… the perfect touch-love moment that you needed. To urge you on, right? Wouldn’t you think? Don’t you think?” Tony asked. Taking the suit had been good motivation for Peter to find his inner Spider-Man, just like Tony had learned when he had been left without his suits during the Killian incident. 

Peter was hesitant. “I guess…”

“Let’s just say it was,” interrupted Toy. 

“Mr Stark,” began Peter. “I really –”

But Tony spoke over him. “You screwed the pooch hard, bigtime. But then you did the right thing. Took the dog to the free clinic, you raised the hybrid puppies…” Tony shook his head. What was he trying to say? “All right, not my best analogy. I was wrong about you,” he admitted. 

Peter needed to hear that. 

“I think, with a little more mentoring you could be a real asset to the team.” Tony stopped Peter in front of a large wall. 

“To the…? To the team?” Peter looked shocked, unsure of where Tony was intending on taking the conversation. 

“Yeah. Anyway…” Tony pointed to the conference room doors. “There are about fifty reporters behind that door. Real ones, not bloggers.” He tapped his watch twice and the wall in front of them slid open. “When you’re ready, why don’t you try that on?” Tony pointed towards a newly designed Spider-Man suit with red and black colouring giving it a real sophisticated look that had emerged from the wall. “And I’ll introduce the world to the newest official member of the Avengers: Spider-Man.” 

Peter stumbled over his next words, unable to complete his sentence. “Can… can…?” 

“Yeah, give that a look…” Tony eyed Peter as the boy stared stunned at the new suit that could be his. “After the press conference, Happy will show you to your room… your new quarters. Where’s he between? He’s next to the Vision?” Tony wasn’t sure where Peter had been allocated a room. 

“Yeah, Vision’s not big on doors,” confirmed Happy. 

“It’s fun,” bopped Tony on his feet. 

“Or walls,” added Happy as an afterthought. 

“You’ll fit right in,” smiled Tony. He was waiting for Peter’s response but could already tell the boy wasn’t as keen to be an Avenger anymore. As the kid turned to face him, the sombre but grateful expression on his face was enough proof to Tony to know he had been right. 

“Thank you, Mr Stark, but I’m good.” 

“You’re good? Good…? How are you good?” Tony feigned surprise. 

“Well,” explained Peter. “I mean, I’d rather just stay on the ground for a little while. Friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.” Peter shrugged trying to articulate what he wanted to say. “Somebody’s got to look out for the little guy, right?” 

Tony took off his glasses. He wasn’t surprised. “You’re turning me down? You better think about this.” He had to give the kid one last chance before taking it as his final word on the subject. “Look at that. Look at me. Last chance. Yes or no? 

Peter looked at the suit and then looked at Tony. “No.” 

“Okay.” Tony was happy with the outcome. “It’s kind of a springsteen-y working-class hero vibe that I dig. Happy will take you home. Yeah?” Tony needed to confirm it with Happy first. 

“Yeah.” Happy stepped forward, pointing his thumb over his shoulder as he addressed Peter. “Mind waiting in the car? I need a minute.”

Peter held out his hand for Tony to shake. “Thank you, Mr Stark.” 

“Yes, Mr Parker, very well.”

Peter turned and began to walk away before stopping and turning back to face Tony as he put the suit back into its hidden compartment. “That was a test, right? There’s nobody back there?”

_Oh, if only you knew._ “Yes, you passed.” It was easier to lie. “All right, skedaddle there young buck.” He didn’t want Pepper seeing the kid. 

“Thank you, Mr Stark.” Peter turned away again. 

“Yeah, thank you!” Tony shouted after him, balancing precariously on the sides of his feet. 

Happy walked in front of him, smiled. “Told you he’s a good kid.” 

Tony waved his hands in front of his face, slightly smiling back. He had made a good choice in recruiting Peter after all. But as he bought his hands down to his sides, the press conference doors opened and he could hear the unmistakeable sound of reporters inside calling for Pepper as she walked out to them. 

“Where’s the kid?” asked Pepper horrified at not seeing him there with them. 

“He left,” admitted Happy. 

Tony pulled a face, one that Pepper couldn’t see. 

“Everybody’s waiting,” vented Pepper. 

Tony turned to face her, putting on his best gambler face. “You know what? He actually made a really mature choice.” He indicated between himself and Happy. “It just surprised the heck out of us.” 

Pepper looked at Tony. “Did you screw this up?” 

Tony immediately shifted the blame to Happy. “He told the kid to go wait in the car.” 

Pepper pounced on Happy, walking forward, looking annoyed. She had just spent the last few days arranging this press conference. “Are you kidding me? I have a room full of people in there waiting for some big announcement! What will I tell them?” She turned to Tony at the end. 

“Think of something,” shrugged Tony. “How about…erm…?” He pretended to think about it before turning to question Happy. “Hap, you still got that ring?” 

Happy tried to look flustered. All in the plan Tony had concocted. “Do I….? I…” Happy made a show of looking through his pockets, trying to find it, though Tony knew it was there since Happy had shown him earlier before he had left the Compound to pick up Peter. 

“The engagement ring?” prompted Tony. He was very well aware of Pepper’s close proximity. 

“Are you kidding?” Happy reached into his right pocket deeply and then drew out the red and gold ring Tony had specifically designed for Pepper. “I’ve been carrying this since 2008.”

_What the fuck._

Tony stood stunned and surprised by Happy’s announcement. That hadn’t been in the plan. “Okay,” he finally managed. He hadn’t seen Pepper’s expression. Wasn’t sure if he really wanted to but she was the first to speak properly after Happy’s impromptu announcement. 

“I think I can think of something better than that.” Pepper’s face and voice was soft as she looked at Tony. 

“Well, it will buy us a little time,” swallowed Tony. 

She moved into kiss him tenderly on the lips, could feel her smiling against his. 

“Like we need time,” he muttered. 

She drew away from him and he could see a bright smile across her features and her eyes shining with surprise and delight. She was happy. “I can’t believe you have that in your pocket.” She reached the door to the conference room.

“Want me to get the door for you, hon?” Tony took a few strides forward and grabbed the door as Pepper walked through. 

“I got it,” he heard her say. 

Glancing back at Happy, he caught the ring as it was thrown at him, quickly tucking it into his pocket as he walked into the conference room. 

_Here we go…_

\- - - - -

As Pepper walked through the doors the shouting began again though this time including Tony’s name. 

“Mr Stark!”

“Miss Potts!” 

“Pepper!”

“Tony!”

“What is the big announcement?” 

Pepper had arranged the press conference for a big announcement. The press were expecting something big. She was thinking quickly though a part of her couldn’t contain her excitement at the thought that Tony wanted to propose to her. She had known he wanted to marry her but for him to have a ring ready… She had to wipe the grin across her face, tried to ignore the happiness floating in her stomach. 

A part of her wanted to grab Tony, kiss him deeply and do other unquestionable things with him. But she had to stay professional. But she wasn’t sure she could think of something else to announce instead of Spider-Man joining the Avengers. Since he wasn’t…

She moved to the podium, placing both hands upon it and looked out at the crowd. The thought briefly crossed her mind that Tony had always known Spider-Man wouldn’t join the Avengers, would turn them down and he had really asked for the press conference to be arranged so he could propose to Pepper. It was a very Tony thing to do. 

“Thank you all for coming today. I know the call was short notice and I hope we can reward you with an announcement that is unexpected by you all.” Pepper turned to look at Tony. “I would like to invite Mr Tony Stark to the stand. Even I do not know what he intends to say.”

Tony stepped forward, looking a bit nervous. As they passed one another, Tony whispered to her: “I thought you could think of something better than this?” 

She smirked. “You planned this, Mr Stark… But we’re not having our wedding in public…” 

Then Tony was at the podium and Pepper was to the side of him. She watched him as his right hand fiddled with something in his pocket and he suddenly looked like a nervous school boy. 

“I’m not here to discuss anything momentous for either the Avengers or Stark Industries,” he began. “But rather I’d like to talk to you all about someone special who has made my life so much better ever since they walked in to it.” 

“I’ve been in the media eye ever since I was born. Grown up in it and you have all charted my life, watching me become a child prodigy to making various mistakes in my adolescence, from a playboy to a superhero…” Tony was trying to keep himself calm as he spoke. 

Pepper watched, her heart beating fast in her chest. She knew what was coming. 

“But there have only been three people who have ever stood by me. The first was Rhodey, the second was Happy Hogan and the third is Pepper Potts. Pepper became a part of my life by accident. Not many know the story of how she became my personal assistant. It wasn’t the usual route – and no, she didn’t sleep with me either. Pepper was already employed by Stark Industries in finance when she came across a miscalculation I had made. She spoke to her boss at the time who dismissed it, claiming I do not make mistakes. Pepper refused to believe she was the one who had made the mistake as her boss implied. She made her way to my office, determined to prove she was correct. She didn’t have an appointment and Happy stopped her, however not to be deterred, she brought out pepper spray and used it against security. Overhearing the commotion, I was curious and went to see what was going on. I was very surprised to see a red-haired woman with pepper-spray in hand, threatening to use it again if she didn’t get to show me the miscalculation I had made.” 

Pepper could well remember that day. She had thought she would be fired. 

“I had a look at the accounts and I had made a mistake. I immediately knew Pepper was special. She had put her job on the line just to ensure the company didn’t lose millions of dollars. It also showed me the company thought I was infallible, that I was incapable of making mistakes. They were wrong to assume so. Pepper was the only one to question me. Her boss was upset she had gone against orders. Word came to me he was about to fire her for misconduct. I stepped in and offered her the position of personal assistant which she accepted. Up until that day Pepper had always gone by her real name of Virginia. Afterwards she became known as Pepper Potts because you should never mess with a Virginia with a pepper-spray. Plus Pepper suited her better.”

Tony looked back at her. 

“But the point I am trying to make,” he continued, “is that Pepper has been there for me for many years. I had a reputation, one which she ignored. I admired her for rebuffing my advances. I quickly learned she was not to be messed with and I grew to respect her. She became a friend and someone I could trust. I do not let just anyone into my life, they have to earn it and Pepper did. For ten years she managed my life, despite my best efforts to hinder her…” Tony bowed his head. “Then… Afghanistan happened.” 

Pepper was surprised Tony was mentioning this. He had never really mentioned what had happened to him in public before. 

“I came back from there a changed person. All of you know what happened next, what I became because of my experiences. Pepper stood by me but I saw her differently. In Afghanistan… the thought of Pepper kept me strong. I wanted to see her again. I knew in Afghanistan that I loved her. I had never loved anyone before but I didn’t know if she loved me.” 

Tony was rambling but Pepper could admire him for being so open. She wondered if the press had caught on yet what he was about to do. 

“I made Pepper C.E.O because she had been running the company for me for years. She knew the job in and out and she knew what the best decisions for the company would be and Stark Industries has continued to skyrocket under her tenure. The aftermath of the Expo fiasco was when Pepper and I started to date. I loved her and I knew she loved me. I don’t even know why I am going into so much detail…” Tony’s mouth was running away from him. 

“Pepper has been there for me through thick and thin. We’ve had our rough spots. But I love her and I always will. Everything I do is to protect her, to keep her safe. But she is more than just someone to protect: she is someone to love and cherish.” 

Tony was now facing her and Pepper could sense the moment was coming. It seemed every breath was being held in the room. 

“She is my rock, my confidant, my love… Without her I wouldn’t be who I am today,” said Tony. And his hand inched towards his right pocket and then he was down on one knee. 

Gasps came from the reporters as they saw the ring in his hand, as he held it between Pepper and himself. 

“Pepper… will you marry me?”

She stood there, silent, looking at Tony’s face, aware that ever reporter in the room was waiting for her answer. She could see Tony’s eyes as he watched her, waiting for her answer. It seemed like forever before she answered but in reality it was only a few seconds. The moment itself seemed to stretch on forever. 

And she smiled. “Yes. Yes.” 

Tony was smiling. 

Cheers were erupting from the crowd of reporters as the cameras started to go off in their faces as Tony rose from his kneeling position and rushed towards Pepper. Their lips locked in a passionate embrace as they held one another before Tony slipped the red and gold ring onto her finger. 

And as one they turned to face the press; Pepper holding her hand up so they could see the ring and Tony smiling broadly. 

“We’ll face everything together, right?” asked Tony, low enough for the press not to hear. 

“Yes,” answered Pepper. “Together.” 

And they would, through thick and thin. Though their break had torn them apart, it had ultimately brought them back together, stronger than ever before.

Together they could face anything. 

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow... so this fic is finished! 
> 
> I always wanted the story to end here. I think Tony did propose to Pepper at the press conference and I hope Infinity War confirms this... Personally, I think Tony knew Peter wouldn't accept his invitation to join the Avengers and set up a press conference just so he could propose of Pepper. Proposing in public is a very Tony thing to do I think which is why I opted for it to happen. 
> 
> Hopefully I've fixed their relationship enough that Tony proposing to Pepper isn't so out of the blue like it was in Homecoming... 
> 
> I have also had interest in the Fugitive Avengers thoughts to the press conference... This is a scene-one-shot that I do plan to write. So please, look for it soon. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story! It has been one heck of a ride! 
> 
> In the meantime, I will be solely concentrating on upon my AU I am currently posting. Please check it out! 
> 
> And finally, HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! 
> 
> the-writer1988

**Author's Note:**

> I like the idea that Pepper is still a point of contact for Friday if anything ever happened to Tony and he couldn't rescue himself. I figured this would be the catalyst that may have brought Pepper back into his life after Siberia.


End file.
